Weekend Cooking Pays Off--BIG!

Chicken and smoked sausage gumbo, fresh turnip greens and cornbread muffins

Long work day? Too tired to cook? Some weekend work in the kitchen could save you. Gumbo, turnip greens, slow cooking soups and other labor-intensive dishes may seem like excessive effort, but these foods freeze beautifully, affording you the opportunity to enjoy delicious, extraordinary meals in minutes.

So make the extra effort. Cook that New Orleans inspired gumbo, your favorite comfort soup or the essential cornbread muffins. Enjoy a meal, then pop leftovers in the freezer in plastic bags. The payoff will be worth it…trust me.

The Perfect Summer Dinner

Orzo is one of my favorite pastas, especially in the summer. It’s light in texture, and works well with so many meats, herbs, etc. A tuna orzo salad is so simple, yet full of wonderful flavor and texture. Served with baked pita chips, it's the perfect summer meal.

Welcome, Spring!

The long, cold winter is behind us—gone are cozy nights by the fire enjoying hot soups, rich stews, and hearty goulashes. Spring is here, and with the new season comes light, healthy recipes—pastas tossed with olive oil and fresh herbs; crisp salads drizzled with fresh, citrusy vinaigrettes; light entrees with colorful, seasonal veggies.

Pull your recipe books out and get inspired by all the old standbys and new possibilities spring has to offer. Plant tomatoes in large containers with fresh herbs like basil, Italian parsley and thyme. Plan fun family menus to celebrate the new season. Welcome spring with your favorite recipes, new ideas and exciting inspirations!

Good Bread + Special Mayo = Great Sandwich!

For me, the formula for a great sandwich is simple—always use good bread and a special mayo. One of my favorites is a grilled chicken sandwich with cilantro lime mayo. To begin, I season chicken breasts with salt and pepper and heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. I cook the chicken until done, then set aside to rest. For the bun, I like Kaiser rolls or a good onion roll, which adds much more to the sandwich than regular hamburger buns. The cilantro lime mayo is easy. Add chopped, fresh cilantro to mayo, along with minced garlic, hot sauce to taste, fresh squeezed lime juice, salt and pepper. Top with tomato, lettuce and purple onion, and your sandwich goes from ordinary to extraordinary!

Breakfast--Wrap It Up!

One of my favorite breakfasts is a quick, easy wrap that I can throw together in minutes and eat on the go. Scramble an egg. As it's cooking, add chopped deli meat, or leftover pork chops, or cooked sausage/bacon, whatever you have on hand. Heat a whole-wheat or flour tortilla for a few seconds in the microwave. Place the egg mixture in the warm tortilla, add grated cheese, slightly fold over one end, and roll up.

For a little variety, add any of your favorite ingredients to jazz up your wrap: sautéed peppers and onions (fresh or frozen), black olives, salsa, etc.

Wrap in foil, and head out the door!

The Ultimate Burger

Is there really anything better than a delicious, juicy burger? As usual, I’m thinking of something other than the standard, ho-hum, boring fare. Instead, I’ve got my mind on something special—my blue cheese bacon burger with lemon aioli is the perfect indulgence. Top with purple onion, tomato and lettuce on an onion roll, and enjoy the ultimate burger experience.

Blue Cheese Bacon Burger

1 lb. ground chuck
1 clove minced garlic
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 ½ tablespoons finely chopped parsley
1-1 ½ ounces crumbled blue cheese
Olive oil for drizzling
Onion rolls, split
Lemon aioli (recipe below)
Purple onion
Lettuce
Tomato
Cooked bacon slices

Mix first five ingredients together, lightly, making sure not to overwork meat. Measure out ¼ lb. meat mixture, and shape into loose ball. Lightly separate ball and sprinkle in desired amount of blue cheese crumbles. Form back together in ball, and press lightly into patties, closing up any open ends. Drizzle with olive oil and grill 3-5 minutes on each side. Serve on toasted onion rolls, and dress with aioli, bacon, sliced purple onion, tomato and lettuce.

Lemon Aioli

1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
¼ to ½ lemon, juiced
1/8 teaspoon Cayenne pepper
1 garlic clove, pressed
1 tablespoon thinly sliced chives

Wisk olive oil into mayonnaise. Add remaining ingredients and stir.

Beef, Vegetable and Black Bean Soup

The cold weather lingers, and I continue to crave flavorful, hearty soups. With ground beef and black beans in mind, what started as a Mexican inspired plan ended, instead, in a subtle beef, veggie and bean creation, topped off with a splash of sherry. Perfect for a cold weather lunch or dinner, what satisfies more than a beef soup with veggies and beans?

Beef, Vegetable and Black Bean Soup

Oil and/or butter for sautéing
1 lb. ground beef
½ cup chopped onion
½ cup diced celery
½ cup diced carrots
2-3 cloves pressed or minced garlic
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 or 3 cans beef broth (can also use vegetable broth)
2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
Kosher salt and black pepper
¼ cup hot water or soup stock and 2 tablespoons flour (for thickening)
¼ - ½ cup sherry

In a dutch oven, heat oil and/or butter. Add ground beef, and brown with onion, celery and carrots until vegetables are softened. Add garlic and thyme, and cook for 1 minute. Add broth and black beans, and simmer covered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Mix flour with ¼ cup of hot water or soup broth until smooth to make a slurry (add more liquid if necessary). Add flour mixture to soup and continue to simmer for one minute or so until slightly thickened. Add sherry. Stir and remove from heat. Adjust seasonings and serve.