Asian Cucumber Salad

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 bunch cilantro leaves, chopped
4 celery stalks, thinly sliced
1 English cucumber, thinly sliced
6 scallions, thinly sliced
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions:

Whisk vinegar, oil, sesame seeds, and red pepper flakes in a large bowl. Add cilantro, celery, cucumbers, and scallions. Season with salt and pepper and toss to combine.

Grown-up Spaghettios

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves mined
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 6 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
  • 2 cups tiny pasta like ditalini, alphabet, etc
  • Parmesan crips for garnish (optional)

Directions:

  1. Heat a saucepan over medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the garlic, salt and pepper and stir, cooking for 1 minute. Add in the tomato paste and stir, cooking for another 1 to 2 minutes.
  2. Pour in the vinegar and stock and stir until the tomato paste is dispersed through the stock and the mixture is smooth. Bring it to a simmer.
  3. Once simmering, add in the pasta and stir. Cook, stirring often (the little pasta pieces can stick to the bottom or sides!) with a wooden spoon, for 10 to 15 minutes, until the pasta is fully cooked and the soup is a bit thicker. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if necessary.
  4. Serve into bowls. Top with Parmesan crisps. Enjoy!

Cabbage Rolls

Ingredients:

  • 10-20 cabbage leaves
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 2 cups cooked rice (white or brown)
  • 1 small yellow onion, diced
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tomato, seeded and diced
  • 2 cups baby spinach leaves
  • 1/2 tsp paprika
  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme
  • 2 Tbsp fresh chopped Italian parsley
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • Sauce:
  • 1 cup tomato sauce
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place cored cabbage in a soup pot. Cover with 4 cups chicken broth and steam 15-20 minutes with the lid on.
  2. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the olive oil and brown the ground beef and onions. Season with salt and pepper. Add the chopped tomato and spinach. Season with paprika, salt, pepper, fresh herbs, and cheese. Continue cooking for 2-3 minutes.
  3. Allow mixture to cool enough to handle. Stuff 1/4 cup filling into each cabbage leaf. Fold in the sides of the leaf and roll tightly. Make rolls until all the filling has been used. Place rolls in a 9×13 baking pan.
  4. Whish the sauce ingredients together. Pour the sauce over the top of the rolls. Cover pan tightly with foil and bake 60 minutes.

I served these cabbage rolls over gruyere and garlic mashed potatoes!!

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
1 cinnamon stick
2 garlic cloves, minced
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
4 cups chicken stock
1 teaspoon ground coriander
2 cups roasted butternut squash

Directions:

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat until hot. Add the onion, celery, carrot, garlic, and cinnamon stick and saute until soft but not brown, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
  2. Add the chicken stock and the coriander and bring to a boil. Simmer for several minutes. Stir in the squash, then simmer gently to let the flavors meld, about 10 minutes. Discard the cinnamon stick.
  3. Puree the soup in a blender or with an immersion blender until smooth. (The soup can be made ahead to this point, cooled, covered, and refrigerated for several days or frozen for about 1 month. It will thicken as it cools and may need thinning with stock or water when reheating.)

Spicy Lamb and Sweet Potato Skillet

Ingredients:

  • 2 medium sweet potatoes peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
  • 1 pound ground lamb
  • 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
  • 1 large leek cleaned and sliced
  • 3 cups arugala roughly chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2-3 Fresno peppers, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons ghee or butter
  • 1/2 cup chicken stock
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/4 cup pepitas shelled pumpkin seeds
  • Kosher salt and black pepper
  • 4 eggs

Directions:

  1. Place the pepitas in a large, dry, cast-iron skillet and bring to medium heat. Toast, stirring constantly, until the the seeds are brown and fragrant, about 10 minutes. Transfer the pepitas to a bowl.
  2. Return the skillet to medium high heat and add the ghee. Spread the sweet potatoes out in a single layer and let them cook, undisturbed, for 5 minutes. Stir and cook for an additional 5 minutes, until the potatoes start to get tender.
  3. Add the ground lamb, leeks, peppers, garlic, cumin, salt and pepper to the skillet. Cook until the meat is no longer pink and the vegetables are tender, about 7-8 minutes.
  4. Pour in the chicken stock and add the arugula. Cook until the arugula is wilted, about 4-5 minutes.
  5. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the toasted pepitas on top and serve. Top with fried eggs!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 1 large jalapeno pepper, diced very small (the seeds are where the heat is concentrated; included or discard them based on preference)
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 32 ounces (4 cups) low-sodium chicken broth
  • two 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes and juice
  • one 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 2 cups shredded cooked chicken (use storebought rotisserie chicken to save time; or roast or cook your own chicken in a skillet)
  • 1 1/4 cups corn kernels
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons cumin
  • 2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (regular paprika may be substituted)
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional and to taste
  • Store bought tortilla chips
  • 1/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves, finely minced
  • diced avocado for serving, optional
  • shredded cheese, optional
  • sour cream, optional

Directions:

  1. To a large Dutch oven or stockpot, add 2 tablespoons olive oil and heat over medium-high heat.
  2. Add the onion, jalapeno, and sauté for about 5 minutes, or until vegetables begin to soften.
  3. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
  4. Add the chicken broth, tomatoes and juice, black beans, chicken, corn, lime juice, chili powder, cumin, 2 teaspoons salt, pepper, smoked paprika, optional cayenne pepper, and bring to a boil.
  5. Allow mixture to boil gently for about 5 to 7 minutes.
  6. Ladle soup into bowls, top with tortilla strips to taste, cilantro, optionally garnish with avocado, cheese and/or sour cream; serve immediately.

Italian Stallion Burger

Ingredients:

1.5 lbs 80/20 ground beef
4 slices mortadella
4 slices salami
4 slices mozzarella
4 hamburger buns
2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp olive oil
Kosher salt
1 vine ripe tomato, sliced
1 yellow onion, sliced
Iceberg lettuce
Dill pickle chips
Freak Flag Organics, Beet Ketchup

Directions:

  1. Form ground beef into 4 equal rounds. Generously season the top with kosher salt.
  2. Heat large skillet over medium heat. Melt one Tbsp butter in skillet. Toast insides of buns and set aside.
  3. Add remaining Tbsp of butter and olive oil to skillet. Increase heat to medium-high. Add burger rounds, salt side down, and smashed evenly with a spatula. Season raw side with kosher salt. When original side is browned flip and smash down again. Top with mortadella, salami, and mozzarella. Cover with lid until meat is browned and cheese is melted (approximately 3-4 minutes).
  4. Place burgers on toasted buns. Top with lettuce, tomato, pickle, onion and Beet ketchup.

Best. Burger. Ever.

Taco Stuffed Acorn Squash

Ingredients:

2 acorn squash, halved lengthwise and seeded
Olive oil
Kosher salt and Ground black pepper
Paprika to season
1/2 yellow onion, diced
Small bell pepper (any color), diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb ground beef
6 oz pork chorizo
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp Mexican oregano
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
Cotija cheese
Avocado, diced
Fresh cilantro
Pre-made salsa
Lime wedges for serving

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 370° F.
  2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  3. Pour olive oil over the acorn squash and sprinkle with paprika, salt and pepper. Bake in oven for 50-60 minutes, until skin is soft and flesh is fork-tender.
  4. While the acorn is baking in the oven, prepare the taco ground beef. In a skillet, add olive oil over medium high heat. Add the ground beef and chorizo and brown until no longer pink. Reduce the heat to medium and add onion, pepper and garlic. Sauté until onions are translucent.
  5. Add all the cumin, coriander, chili powder and oregano. Mix everything well to combine.
  6. Pour in the tomato sauce and black beans. Reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid and cook for 20-25 minutes. Don’t forget to stir occasionally.
  7. To assemble, divide taco meat among squash and top with Cotija. Place bake in the oven for 5 minutes.
  8. Top with chopped cilantro, avocado, salsa, and lime wedge.

Walleye Po’Boy

Ingredients:

2 eater-sized walleye fillets
4 hoagie rolls, sliced, buttered, and toasted
1 cup New Orleans-style fish fry breading
¼ cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup milk
Vegetable or canola oil for frying
1 fresh tomato, thickly sliced

Cabbage Slaw

3 cups green cabbage, shredded
1 lime, juiced
1 lemon, juiced
2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

Sauce

½ cup mayo
2 tbsp. ketchup
2 tsp. yellow mustard
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
½ cup pickles, diced
½ cup onion, diced
1 tsp. smoked paprika

Directions:

  1. Combine all of the sauce ingredients and mix well. Cover and set aside. Cut the cabbage into thin strips. Dress the cabbage with the citrus and vinegar, season with salt and pepper, and set aside.
  2. Mix the cornmeal with the fish fry breading. Place the fish fillets in the milk. Remove the fish and let any excess milk drip off. Dredge the fish in the batter and set aside for frying.
  3. In a cast-iron skillet, pour in enough oil to almost cover the fish, about half an inch. Bring the oil to 350 degrees. Fry the fish for 2-3 minutes on each side or until golden brown and cooked through.
  4. Assemble the Po’boys! First slice, toast, and butter the hoagie rolls. Slather the sauce on both buns. Layer the fried fish, sliced tomato, and finish with the slaw. Splash on a little hot sauce for an extra kick.

Fried Green Tomatoes

Ingredients:

  • 4 large green tomatoes
  • 2 large eggs eggs
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup cornmeal
  • 1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 quart vegetable oil for frying

Directions:

  1. Slice tomatoes 1/2 inch thick. Discard the ends.
  2. Whisk eggs and water together in a medium-size bowl. Scoop flour onto a plate. Mix cornmeal, bread crumbs, garlic powder, cayenne and salt and pepper on another plate. Dip tomatoes into flour to coat. Then dip the tomatoes into milk and egg mixture. Dredge in breadcrumbs to completely coat.
  3. In a large skillet, pour vegetable oil (enough so that there is 1/2 inch of oil in the pan) and heat over a medium heat. Place tomatoes into the frying pan in batches of 4 or 5, depending on the size of your skillet. Do not crowd the tomatoes, they should not touch each other. When the tomatoes are browned, flip and fry them on the other side. Drain them on paper towels.