Baked Crab and Artichoke Dip – A Snack So Nice, You Finish it Twice

Nothing says, “this party rocks” like a creamy, cheesy, baked dip, and when you’re talking about a hot crab and artichoke dip, people have been known to put an extra choice word or two before “rocks.” If only there were a big event coming up soon to test this theory.

Not only is this additive dip easy to make, it works with any budget. You can load it up with the finest fresh crab, use frozen or pasteurized lump crab meat, or even canned in a pinch. By the way, (and off the record) I’ve had these made with fake crab, and it wasn’t bad at all.

While the loaf of bread base does make for a nice presentation, not to mention recycled after party snack food, you can simply bake this in a casserole dish as well. As I mentioned in the video, I had a little extra leftover, and if this happens to you, give it a try as a stuffing for ravioli, wontons, or other dumpling-like delivery systems.

No matter which team they’re rooting for, all your guests will be cheering for more of this delicious baked dip. By the way, nothing beats watching your friends play tug-o-war with the crust once the dip is gone. I hope you give it a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 12 portions of Baked Crab and Artichoke Dip:

2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup finely diced red bell pepper

1/3 cup chopped green onions

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp fresh chopped tarragon leaves

zest and juice from 1 lemon

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

salt and pepper to taste

cayenne to taste

1 pound lump crab meat, drained

1 (14-oz) can artichoke bottoms

6 oz white Cheddar cheese, divided

1 large round or oval loaf sourdough bread

About 30 min at 375 degrees F.

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Baked Eggplant Sandwiches – Get’em While They’re Room Temp!

I didn’t intend for this baked eggplant sandwich to turn into yet another Super Bowl party food post, but two bites in and I realized that’s what may have happened. The reason for this epiphany had nothing to do with taste or texture, but with temperature. I’d forgotten just how truly delicious these are served at room temp, which was always how the Italians I learned this from served it.

Of course, like any normal person faced with a warm, cheese-filled anything, I ate one as soon as possible, and it was great. Golden-brown and crisp on the outside, soft and gooey on the inside. However, when I went back for seconds an hour later, I got to experience these in all their cooled-off glory.

While not as crispy, they were still crunchy around the edges and featured an entirely different flavor profile. Hot salami isn’t the greatest expression of the sausage maker’s art, and you really don’t appreciate the eggplant’s subtle sweetness playing against the cheese when hot.

I’m not sure exactly why, but Italians seem to have a thing for room temperature fried foods, especially vegetables. I’ve heard Mario Batali talk about this before, but there seems to be a long tradition of letting fried stuff cool down first before eating.

Happily, this practice works perfectly for entertaining, since you can bake these off ahead of time, and put them out on a tray anytime. Whether for your Super Bowl party, or not, I hope you give these addictive eggplant sandwiches a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for each eggplant sandwich:

2 thick slices eggplant (Note: some people salt the slices to draw off liquid, which they say is bitter. I’ve done this for other eggplant recipes, but not for these sandwiches. With the breading and filling, I actually think the slight bitterness is an advantage.)

3 thin, small slices of salami

1/2 slice provolone cheese

1 generous tablespoon olive oil, divided

seasoned flour as needed (flour with enough fine salt, pepper, and cayenne so that it tastes “seasoned” when you dip your finger in it)

beaten eggs, as needed (2 eggs is enough for about 4 sandwiches)

plain breadcrumbs, as needed
1 tsp very finely grated Parmesan cheese

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Garlic Parm Hot Wings – Video Recipe 800! 800? Really?

This garlic Parmesan hot wings video represents the 800th recipe we’ve uploaded to YouTube since we launched the channel in January 2007. As I waited for the file to upload, an odd sense of disbelief started to wash over me. Had I really cooked, filmed, and posted 800 video recipes? It didn’t seem possible.

The more I thought about just how much content that is, the more improbable it seemed. 800 recipes? That’s like 10 cookbooks! Then, a different kind of disbelief came over me as I considered all the dishes I’ve still not done.

After all these hundreds and hundreds of recipes, I still have not done things like risotto, goulash, blue cheese dressing, calamari, or beef Wellington; just to name a few. Anyway, it was an interesting and introspective ten minutes, sitting there watching the upload progress bar slowly move across the screen, thinking about what I had done, and how much I still needed to do.

As far as these gorgeous wings go, they rocked. My wife Michele, who is not a big fan of chicken wings, ate more than I’d ever seen her eat before, and deemed them my best yet. I’m not sure about that, but they did come out really, really well.

One reason it’s hard to get a crispy-crusty coating on a wing in the oven is all the moisture that leaks out during the initial phase of baking. Here, we are parboiling the wings in a very flavorful liquid, which not only helped season the chicken, but also produced a surface texture in the oven that your guests will swear came straight out of a deep fryer. I hope you give these a try soon, and as always, and for the 800th time, enjoy!

Ingredients for 5 pounds of wings (about 48 pieces):

3 quarts cold water

1/4 cup salt

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

1 bay leaf

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried rosemary

4 to 5 pounds of chicken wing sections

8-10 cloves garlic plus big pinch of salt

3 or 4 tbsp olive oil, or as needed

1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper

2 tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste (obviously you can add cayenne or other hot stuff to make these even spicier)
2 tbsp fine breadcrumbs

about 1 cup of very finely and freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

creamy Italian dressing for dipping, optional

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Sausage Ribs – Deliver A Bone-Jarring Hit to Your Football Food Lineup

Chips and dips may be fine for regular season gridiron action, but when the playoffs roll around, and you need to go that extra yard to score a touchdown with your guests’ taste buds, these Italian sausage-spiced baby back ribs are a proven big game performer. 

If only I could’ve somehow added a few more forced football references into that intro.

Sweet and succulent pork ribs are never a bad addition to the game day buffet, but they can get predictable with the same old rubs and sauces. Here we have all the baby back rib-y goodness you know and love, but with the flavor profile of sweet Italian fennel sausage.

I know a lot of you wrap your ribs in foil for the initial slow/low cooking phase, as do I, but here we’re doing them uncovered to help achieve a slightly chewier, more toothsome texture. These are still quite tender and juicy, but just not too soft, and falling off the bone.

These really did have a wonderful flavor, which was further highlighted by the spicy, sweet, and tangy orange glaze. My only regret was that I didn’t have any hotdog buns around, as I would have pulled out the bones, and served these just like a real sausage sandwich. There’s always a next time.

Anyway, I enjoyed all that rich and fancy holiday feasting as much as anyone, but now all I’m craving is a couch, a cold beer, and a simple plate of ribs…that tastes like sausage. I hope you give these a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 2 racks of baby back ribs:

2 trimmed racks of baby back pork ribs

For the rub:

1 tbsp fennel seed, crushed fine

1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper

1 tbsp garlic salt
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp cayenne or to taste

For the glaze (simmer until reduced by half):

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup orange juice

1/3 cup rice wine vinegar

2 tsp hot chili sauce or to taste

1 tbsp orange zest

- Bake ribs at 275 degrees F. for 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until fork tender.

- Cut, coat with glaze, and finish in a hot 425 degrees F. oven until caramelized.

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Mushroom Ricotta Bruschetta – This Was Anything But Flat

Please do not take this post’s brevity for any kind of lack of enthusiasm or excitement over this very handsome mushroom and ricotta bruschetta. Time’s a little short today, as my car’s left-front tire was fatally injured last night in a brutal pothole attack.

Everyone else is fine, but I didn’t want to delay the uploading of this fine recipe until I had time to do a proper blog post. So basically, I’m phoning this one in. Of course, my biggest fear isn’t that you’ll be disappointed…it’s that you won’t notice that big a difference.

Anyway, this was super tasty, and very simple to make. I show making the ricotta bruschetta part first, but as I mention, you’ll obviously want to have your mushrooms cooking while you prepare the bases. I hope you give this delicious, and very versatile dish a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 Mushroom Ricotta Bruschetta

1 cup ricotta cheese

1 egg

zest of one lemon

1/2 tsp salt

black pepper to taste
red chili flakes to taste

4 thick slices of lightly toasted bread

1 tbsp olive oil

For the mushrooms:

2 tbsp butter, divided (half to sauté, half to stir in at end)

1 tbsp olive oil

16 large white mushrooms

1/4 cup green onions and/or 3-4 cloves of garlic

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup marsala wine

1/2 cup chicken broth

2 tsp lemon juice

2 tbsp chopped Italian parsley

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Because Oyster Rockefeller Sounds Rich

There’s much debate over how many of America’s greatest recipes got their name, but that’s not an issue with Oyster Rockefeller. Thanks to the rich, money-colored butter sauce, this decadent creation’s name pretty much wrote itself.

Besides the obvious, superficial reasons, associating your new shellfish appetizer with the most affluent family of the day was a stroke of social media genius. Hey, just because Twitter wouldn’t be invented for another 107 years doesn’t mean people didn’t “retweet” things.

When Jules Alciatore invented the dish in 1899, he wasn’t trying to create a classic, new American shellfish appetizer; he was simply trying to replace snails in his diet. That’s right, what would become America’s greatest seafood appetizer (sorry, crab cakes) was just a delicious work-around for a serious shortage of French snails in New Orleans.

To say the customers of Antoine's were happy with this local substitution would be a huge understatement. They went crazy for it. The dish quickly gained national attention, with the most famous celebrities, politicians, and foreign dignitaries of the day stumbling over each to get a plate or three.

The original secret recipe really is a secret; so all versions, including mine, are just guesses. There is agreement among foodies who study such matters that spinach was not part of the formula, but the much spicier and more flavorful watercress was used.

Neither were mushrooms, bacon, ham, cheese, garlic, or any other later day add-ons. Not that those ingredient aren’t good baked on top of oysters, but that just wasn’t how Mr. Alciatore rolled. So if you are looking for a special occasion appetizer that tastes, looks, and makes you feel (and sound) rich, then I hope you give this oyster Rockefeller recipe a try. Enjoy!

Makes enough for about 3 dozen oysters Rockefeller:
1 stick butter (1/2 cup) room temp
2 tbsp minced green onions, white and light green parts
2 tbsp diced celery
2 tbsp fresh chopped tarragon
2 tbsp fresh chopped Italian parsley
1 cup chopped watercress leaves
salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste
2 tbsp Pernod liquor
1/4 cup bread crumbs
3 dozen oysters on the half shell

Bonus How to Open Oyster Video!

My friend Tamar, from Starving Off the Land, does a much better job of showing how to open oysters, but that’s only because she raises them and gets a lot more practice! That, and she’s better at it. Also, a special thanks to Sky Sabin Productions for their fine work on this.

For some additional shucking info, and tons of oyster recipe links, you can also check out this article on Allrecipes.com. Enjoy!
 

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Patatas Bravas – Fierce Up Your Fries

I always thought Patatas Bravas meant “brave potatoes,” which seemed a little strange since what was supposed to be so brave about them? Amazingly delicious, yes, but valiant, fearless or courageous? I don’t think so. Well, apparently my translation skills were lacking, and come to find out it actually means “fierce.” Now that makes sense.

As advertised, these are fiercely textured, fiercely flavored, fiercely presented, and fiercely enjoyed. How fierce is really up to you and your inner Spaniard. There are as many patatas bravas recipes as homes in Spain, and this is nothing more than my latest rendition. 

As long as you boil them first, fry crisp, and season earnestly, the rest is open to wild experimentation. I’ve used all sort of blanching liquids, spice blends, and sauces, and never been disappointed.

My control around food is generally decent, but I am no match for a plate of these. Once you start with the toothpick, you’ll be impaling and eating potatoes until they’re gone. If you are making these for a group, just do in batches and keep warm in the oven until you have enough. Just don’t salt until the last second, or they can get soggy. I hope you give these a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 portions:

2 pounds russet potatoes

For the boiling liquid:

2 quarts cold water

1 tbsp salt

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp cumin

2 bay leaves

For the sauce:

1 cup mayonnaise

garlic to taste
pinch of salt

1 tsp tomato paste

1-2 tbsp sherry vinegar

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

1/4 tsp chipotle powder

cayenne to taste

For the spice blend (makes lots extra):

2 tbsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp chipotle powder

chopped parsley

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Mixed Nuts

With the holiday entertaining season getting closer with each falling leaf, it’s time to start thinking about those easy, yet still kind of fancy, snack recipes. These sweet, salty, spicy, party nuts are simple to make, and will rival those expensive blends at the local Foodies-R-Us.

I find this technique much easier than the stovetop pan method. You’ll get beautiful, perfectly frosted nuts that are roasted evenly, with no bitter burned spots. Speaking of which, I played it pretty safe with the cooking times, so you may be able to go a few minutes longer for a deeper roast, but, don’t get greedy.

By the way, I always upload these videos to YouTube before I publish the blog post, and I just finished reading the first few comments. Wow, they sure have some wild imaginations over there! They claim the video is loaded with innuendos and lowbrow, double entendre-based humor. How dare they! They’re LOL’ing, ROFL’ing, and LMFAO’ing all over perfectly innocent recipe directions. It’s nuts.

Anyway, I hope you give these delicious, candied mixed nuts a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 cups of nuts:

1 cup raw walnut halves

1 cup raw pecan halves

1 cup unsalted, dry roasted almonds

1 cup unsalted, dry roasted cashews

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/4 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp cayenne

*For the syrup:

1 or 2 tbsp butter

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

*Heat to a boil, cook one minute, and pour over nuts!

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Big Dipping

As you may have noticed, we are smack dab in the middle of televised sports season. Baseball playoffs are starting (Go Giants!), football season is in full swing (Go Giants!), and basketball is just around the corner (Go Warriors??), so you’re going to need some delicious dips to help soak up some of that beer. As I’ve said before, the cornerstone of any proper game-day buffet is the dip selection. Here are a few of our favorites. Just click on the recipe name in the caption, and as always, enjoy!

Baked Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Baked Buffalo Chicken Dip

Clams Casino Dip

Green Hummus

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Crab-Stuffed Corn Muffins – Just One Frosting Away From Being Cupcakes

I was originally going to call these “crab and corn cupcakes,” but since I’ve still not perfected my bacon frosting recipe, I decided to hold off and go with the slightly less exciting sounding “crab-stuffed corn muffins.” And no, I’m not kidding about the bacon frosting.

Besides, since these were inspired by the food wish for new, easy and interesting football party snacks, I think “muffins” sounds a little more gridiron than cupcakes. Regardless, they were simple to make, and (as I tested personally) quite delicious eaten while watching a football game, possibly with beer(s).

As some of you longtime viewers may have noticed, this is a variation on something we posted many years ago called “Kernel Porker's Barbecued Pork-Stuffed Corn Muffins,” and I always wondered how it would be with crabmeat. When I got the usual autumn avalanche of football-themed food wishes, I figured the time was right to find out, and I was very happy with the results!

As I mention in the video, they reminded me of a New England crab or lobster roll, where they simply pile warm, buttery seafood on those toasted rolls. This was heavier, but just as pleasurable. Anyway, unlike the replacement referees that are now calling the games, these didn’t suck, and certainly won’t be a season-long embarrassment to the league. I hope you give them a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 12 Crab-stuffed Corn Muffins
For the crab filling:

8 oz crabmeat

1 1/2 tbsp mayo

1 tsp crushed red chili sauce

1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp fresh grated lemon zest

2 oz grated pepper Jack cheese (about 1/2 cup)

salt to taste

For the corn muffins:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup corn meal

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tbsp minced green onions

2 eggs

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup melted butter

Bake at 375 degrees F. for 25-30 minutes. Serve warm.

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White Gazpacho! I Eat This All the Time…Like Every 20 Years

A very, very long time ago, I had a white gazpacho. It was ice cold, very tasty, and super refreshing. It was similar to a classic gazpacho, but with no tomato and peppers. It was so unusually delicious that it really made an impression.

It had a cucumber base, was garnished with almonds and grapes, and was so good, I told myself to get the recipe and put it into regular summer rotation. That was probably 20 years ago, and I haven’t had it since. Totally spaced. 

Anyway, last week I came across this on Grubstreet, and it all came back to me. I knew I must try this soup! I’ve adapted the Dovetail’s versionslightly, but it’s one of those very personal recipes that you’ll want to adjust to your tastes.

Tweaking the amounts of salt, vinegar, and sweetness from the grapes will easily alter the final product, so experimentation is a must! The same goes for the texture. Add a bit more or less water depending on your dream viscosity.

The ice cube trick is optional, but really does keep the soup nicely chilled. The temperature is so critical here – you can’t serve this too cold. By the way, the dill oil I drip on the top was nothing more than a few tablespoons of vegetable oil mashed with some fresh dill with a mortar and pestle.

So, the next time you’re looking for a cool first course for that next great garden party, I hope you give this a try. You’ll love it so much, I’m sure you’ll make it all the time! ;) Enjoy!

Ingredients for 6 small servings:

1 tbsp olive oil 

1 cup whites part of leeks, washed, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

2 English cucumbers, peeled

8-10 green grapes

1/4 cup slivered almonds

1 tbsp olive oil

1/3 cup crème fraiche, sour cream or plain yogurt

1 generous cup fresh bread cubes

2 tbsp sherry vinegar, or to taste

1 tsp salt, plus more to taste

cayenne to taste

1 1/2 cups cold water, more if needed

dill oil and/or fresh dill leaves

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Balsamic Strawberry Goat Cheese Bruschetta – Currently Trending

Some culinary trends are silly. I don’t want deconstructed soups or faux-Kobe sliders. Others are only silly when done poorly. The popular savory/sweet trend is a great example.

While it's often some kind of salted caramel bacon topped ridiculousness, It can be something as easy and approachable as this sexy strawberry goat cheese bruschetta. The way the tangy, slightly salty goat cheese works with the syrupy, balsamic-coated strawberries and crispy, charred bread is a thing of beauty. 

By the way, I’ve got great news if you stink at picking out sweet strawberries. Because we are using a balsamic reduction, this dish actually works very nicely with less-than-perfect berries.

However, one thing that will not work is poor quality vinegar. You’re going to want to use real, aged balsamic vinegar from Modena, Italy. There’s just no substitute. Every large market sells it now, so pick up a bottle, and try this very tasty, albeit trendy treat soon. Enjoy!

Special thanks to Dishing Gourmet, for it was their lovely photo on TasteSpotting that inspired this post!

Ingredients for 12 Balsamic Strawberry Goat Cheese Bruschetta

12 slices of Italian bread
olive oil, as needed

1 cup fresh goat cheese, room temp

1/2 cup aged balsamic vinegar, reduced to 1/4 cup

1 pound strawberries, washed and diced

salt and pepper to taste

fresh thyme leaves as desired

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How NOT to Roast Stuffed Artichokes

Everyone knows that before you stuff and roast an artichoke, you have to boil it first. I know this, and have used this accepted technique many times.  

However, somewhere deep in the memory banks were vague recollections of a stuffed artichoke appetizer that the chef claimed had been roasted raw. This video shows what happens when a cook’s heart ignores a cook’s brain.

The finished product was visually arresting (to put it kindly), and despite looking completely inedible had quite a nice taste and texture. No, that wasn’t the problem. It was the almost 2 1/2 hours (seemed longer) I spent making it that took the wind out of my sails. I love stuffed artichokes, but not that much.

So, I’m recommending we boil our trimmed artichokes in salted water for 30 minutes, or until they just start to get tender. Then, drain very well, stuff with the crumbs and roast until tender and crispy-brown. You’ll have the same amazing artichoke appetizer without the Monopoly-tournament time commitment. Enjoy!

For each artichoke:

1/4 cup bread crumbs

2 tbsp finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

salt and pepper to taste

cayenne to taste

pinch of dry or fresh herbs

2 tbsp olive oil

juice of 1/2 lemon

1 clove minced garlic
*boil for about 30 minutes in salted water, drain very well, stuff and roast at 375 F. until tender and browned.

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Potato and Mustard Greens Salad – I Invented This Recipe Right After I Stole It

I was enjoying some barbecued beef brisket recently, and as I went to stick my fork into the potato salad that accompanied it, I could see something looked very different. The salad was chock full of what appeared to be some kind of chopped, dark, leafy greens.

I took a bite, and quickly realized it was mustard greens. What a great idea! The greens not only added an interesting heat, but provided texture as well. I made up my mind right then and there that I’d borrow this idea, and share it before Memorial Day weekend.

On my way out I thanked the counter person for the great lunch, and said how much I loved the mustard greens in the salad. He smiled and said thanks, but that they were actually dandelion greens. I mumbled something like “that’s what I meant” as I realized I’d been fooled by the prepared mustard and hot spices that dressed the similarly flavored green.

Anyway, I decided to stick to my original plan and use the easier to find mustard greens, and I was very happy with the results. As you’ll see, I went extremely simple in the ingredient list, but obviously you can dress this up with lots of additions.

By the way, this is no beginner’s potato salad. Mustard greens are spicy, slightly bitter, and not at all subtle, but when you consider the sleepy array of potato salads at your typical Memorial Day cookout, this original and very tasty alternative would certainly be a welcomed treat. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 6-8 Portions:

2 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes
4 cloves garlic (boiled with potatoes)

1 cup chopped mustard greens, or to taste

1/2 cup chopped dill or sweet pickle

salt and pepper to taste

For the dressing:

*this is what I used, do yours to taste!

1/2 cup mayo

1/3 cup white wine vinegar

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tsp Sambal chili sauce

salt and pepper to taste

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Drunken Mussels – Way Fewer Than 12 Steps!

This seriously delicious drunken mussels recipe is one of the quickest shellfish preparations known to man. Bring a flavorful, wine-based broth to a boil; add mussels and cover; cook until they open, and eat. That’s it!

Of course, before this big bowl of awesome can happen, you need to get everything prepped and ready to go. You long time foodwishers know this is called “mise en place,” which is just culinary lingo for organizing your ingredients.

Speaking of ingredients, most large seafood departments stock P.E.I. mussels, but if you can’t find them, this works beautifully with clams as well. Clearly, this is one of those primary recipes that can be twisted and tweaked in hundreds of ways by using different beverages, peppers, citrus, and herbs. I hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

For 2 Portions:

2 pounds mussels

2 tbsp butter

4-5 cloves of garlic minced

red pepper flakes to taste

zest from one large lemon

2 cups white wine

freshly ground black pepper to taste

handful of chopped Italian parsley

grilled bread and lemon to garnish

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“Pad Thai” Popcorn – How Five Seconds of Late-Night TV Changed the Future of Caramel Corn

Every once in a great while, I get a food wish from someone I admire and respect so much that I just can’t say no. This “Pad Thai” popcorn recipe was their latest request, and as always, I was more than thrilled to make this very influential person’s snack dream come true. Who is this mystery foodie? Me!

I was channel surfing late one night, and caught the very tail end of a show featuring a hot spot in Charleston, SC, called The Gin Joint. The theme was unique bar eats, and the host was talking about something called, “Pad Thai” popcorn. What was that?

I heard those words, and saw maybe five seconds of footage of what looked like caramel corn in a basket, and that was it. Frustrated, but quite excited, I jumped online to find the bar’s website, and hopefully the recipe. Nothing.

There were a few links with people talking about it, and a couple cell pictures, but no actual official recipe to be found. So, I decided to give myself a food wish – figure out how to recreate this extraordinary-sounding snack. I decided to simply fortify a standard caramel corn recipe with peanuts, lime, hot chilies, fish sauce, and cilantro.

Maybe it was beginner’s luck, or the collective consciousness of all the poor souls who’ve tasted that popcorn and desperately wished they could make it at home, but it came out incredibly well. Crispy, crunchy, sweet, spicy, aromatic, and awesome! You know I’m a fan of the hyperbole, but it’s with all sincerity that I say, this may be the greatest caramel popcorn-related snack breakthrough since balls.

By the way, since this was my first attempt, please feel free to adjust the ingredients amounts and report back. I think next time I’ll add a bit more lime and fish sauce, for a little extra kick. I may also explore using tamarind juice and/or palm sugar. Anyway, I hope you give this unbelievably addictive “Pad Thai” popcorn a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for about 8 cups of Pad Thai Popcorn:

1/3 to 1/2 cup popping corn kernels (roughly 8 cups prepared popcorn)

1 cup finely chopped dry-roasted, salted peanuts

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

For the caramel sauce:

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup corn syrup

2 or 3 tsp fresh lime juice

1 tbsp freshly grated lime zest

1 1/2 tbsp Asian fish sauce (fyi, if you don't use fish sauce, you'll have to add salt)

1 rounded tablespoon Sambal red chili sauce, or very finely diced fresh hot chilies

rounded 1/4 teaspoon baking soda (not baking powder)
*bake 45 minutes at 250 degrees F., tossing 3 or 4 times during the cooking.

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Classic Chicken Noodle Soup – Thank Goodness We Had Roasted Chicken Broth Around!

In case you haven’t been following along, let me catch you up. On Wednesday we made a gorgeous roasted chicken broth for the expressed purpose of making this soul-warming soup. Here, we used that wonderfully flavorful broth to complete the recipe, and let me tell you, it was incredible.

You know how much I hate to complicate a recipe, and I'll always err on the side of too few ingredients vs. too many, so when I make this chicken noodle soup it’s a constant battle to not add other “stuff.”

Not that’s there’s anything wrong with stuff, per se, but if properly made, this soup is just too amazing in its pure and natural state for any distracting, supercilious additions. By the way, a little advice to you young up-and-coming food bloggers; never use “per se,” and “supercilious” in the same sentence.

Yes, other than the mirepoix, and a tiny pinch of fresh thyme, the rest of this soup is basically chicken and noodles. Speaking of the noodles, I’m hoping you go with the wide ones I used. I was only half-kidding about this soup being a meditation, and egg noodle wrestling is half the fun.

Like I said in the video, this will work with regular chicken stock, but if you do decide to make this, I sincerely hope you go ahead and make the roasted chicken broth first. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4-6 servings:
1 tbsp melted butter
1 tbsp rendered chicken fat

1/2 cup diced carrot

1/2 cup diced onion

1/2 cup diced celery

1/4 tsp fresh thyme leaves or pinch of dried thyme

2 quarts roasted chicken broth

1 pound cooked chicken breast, cubed

4 oz dry wide egg noodles

cayenne, salt and black pepper to taste

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Creole Crab & Corn Chowder – Let the Good Clichés Roll!

It’s so trite to say that something is only as good as the ingredients that go into it. Everyone knows that, right? It’s just common sense. Except, there I was, eating a very good bowl of crab and corn chowder that could have, should have, been very great; but it wasn’t because I didn’t remembered that old cliché.

As I mention numerous times in the video, this would ideally be made in the middle of summer, with ears of fresh, sweet-as-sugar corn. If that’s not seasonally possible (i.e., you’re doing a Mardi Gras themed recipe in winter), you can make a perfectly fine version using a premium-quality, extra-sweet, frozen corn. Or, you can do what I did.

I used an old bag of budget-brand corn I found in the freezer. The odd thing is, I’m not sure where it came from, or what it was purchased for. There are things like vodka and fair-trade coffee beans that somehow appear in my icebox as if placed there by invisible kitchen gremlins (btw, that would make a pretty cool name for a band), and I can only assume that’s how the corn got in there.

So, while I could have just walked two-blocks, and bought an expensive bag of something sweet and delicious, I instead went ahead and used a product that only a prison warden could love. The good news is that even with the almost-flavorless corn, this chowder was very good, so if you do as I say, and not as I clichéd, yours will certainly rock.

If you’re from New Orleans, I’d love to hear if they make anything similar to this. As I admit in the video, this is not my take on some iconic Creole recipe, but a simple soup inspired by those ingredients and style of cooking. Anyway, I hope you give it a try soon, and laissez le bon (corn) temps rouler!

Ingredients:

2 tablespoon melted butter

1/2 cup diced onion

1/2 cup diced bell pepper, or jalapeno, or combination of any sweet/hot peppers

1/2 cup diced celery

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon Old Bay

1 1/2 tbsp flour

3 1/2 cup water or stock, divided (2 1/2 for the pot, and 1 cup for the blender)

1 pound sweet corn kernels, divided
2 cloves peeled garlic

8 oz fresh crab meat, divided

1/4 cup cream

1 tsp sweet Spanish paprika, or to taste

green onion to garnish

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