Corned Beef and Cabbage

This recipe only requires 15 minutes of prep, and makes your house smell awesome all day. Just make sure you don't have other plans for your oven! I vaguely remember my mom attempting to make this St. Patrick's Day classic one time during my childhood. As I remember, it involved braising the corned beef by … Continue reading Corned Beef and Cabbage

Ragù Bolognese

Step aside Marinara Meat Sauce, Ragù Bolognese is without doubt the Queen of Italian sauces. This stick to your ribs pasta will warm your heart and soul any time of year. So yeah, this takes 4-5 hours to make, but the good news is that using the oven-braise technique means that you don't have to … Continue reading Ragù Bolognese

Spaghetti and Meatballs

A True Italian Classic Meatballs 2 lbs ground meat (I like 1lb each beef and pork) Panade for meatballs 2 eggs 1/2 cup heavy cream 1 cup panko 1 tsp kosher salt Arromatics: No need to be exact about the following (fresh is best, dried is fine): Around 2 tablespoons-ish parsley, finely chopped 4 -6 … Continue reading Spaghetti and Meatballs

All American Beef Stew

Yankee Cooking At Its Best This New England Classic is easy to make, but does require a long braise. The active cooking time is probably an hour or less. It is even better the second day. The first time I made this, the aroma filled my SoCal home and brought me straight back to my … Continue reading All American Beef Stew

New England Yankee Pot Roast

Beef Chili II

This hearty beef chili follows the same method as most other soups and stews and can be done in the oven in 4 hours or in a slow cooker over 4-8 hours. It is an updated version with a little less heat (the previous version had a whole can of chilis in Adobo!) and a … Continue reading Beef Chili II

How to Achieve a ‘Steakhouse Style’ Sear on Your Home Cooked Steak

Ever wonder how steakhouses achieve such a beautiful crust on the outside of their steaks? The answer is simple: Heat. Really, really, really, high heat. We're talking like 750°F - 1000°F hot here. The world famous Ruth's Chris Steakhouse purportedly sears their steaks at a blinding 1800°F. Further research reveals that, since they use infrared … Continue reading How to Achieve a ‘Steakhouse Style’ Sear on Your Home Cooked Steak

Green Chile Bacon Cheeseburgers

To my great happiness, it is once again Hatch Chile Season! The Hatch Chile hails from the small town of Hatch, NM - arguably the pepper capital of North America. Hatch Chiles are exactly the same pepper as the well-known Anaheim Pepper, but because they are grown in the rocky soil of arid Southern New … Continue reading Green Chile Bacon Cheeseburgers

Frenched Rack of Lamb

This method will rival the best French Restaurants, yet is simple and easy enough for any home cook. The hardest part is finding a Frenched rack of lamb. Ask your butcher to do it for you, or keep in mind that lamb chops and lamb loin chops, or even a boneless leg of lamb will … Continue reading Frenched Rack of Lamb

Lamb Kebabs, Rice Pilaf, Homemade Hummus

Ingredients For the Hummus: About 3 tablespoons tahini (unsweetened natural almond or peanut butter will work in a pinch)2 cloves garlic, finely minced3 cloves roasted garlicJuice of 1 lemon1-2 teaspoons cuminWhatever other spices you'd like to add, just don't overdo it1 can garbanzo beans, drainedOlive oil For the Rice Pilaf 1 tablespoon olive oil1/2 white … Continue reading Lamb Kebabs, Rice Pilaf, Homemade Hummus