Table of Contents
Introduction 8
The Thing About Cooking 14
Favorite Kitchen Tools 18
Some Stuff to Know 20
1 Food for Breakfast or Brunch so You Can Drink
Jalapeño Polenta and Chorizo Bowls 29
Black Pepper Biscuits 31
Gingerbread Spice Dutch Baby 34
Latkes with Rosemary Sour Cream 38
Frittata Casserole 41
Blueberry Almond French Toast Bake 45
Peach Corn Cakes 46
Texas Migas 49
Shakshuka 50
2 Food for Noshing Appetizers & Party Food
Dip Dinner Hummus 54
Pimento Cheese with Candied Jalapeños 58
Green Chile Chorizo Queso 61
Honey Lemon Ricotta with Toasted Hazelnuts 62
Chicken and Beef Satay with Peanut Sauce 65
Bacon-Wrapped Dates Stuffed with Blue Cheese and Almonds 68
Coconut Shrimp with Spicy Marmalade 71
Lindsay's Chicken Wings and Blue Cheese 72
Homemade Mozzarella Sticks with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce 75
3 Food for Spoons Sauces & Soups
French Onion Soup 81
Habanero Cream Soup in a Bread Bowl 83
Corn and Leek Bisque 87
Butternut Squash Ginger Carrot Soup 88
Old-Fashioned Beans and Cornbread 91
Tom Kha Gai 93
Dressings 96
Sauces and Relishes 102
4 Food that Goes in Carbs Sandwiches, Subs & Tacos
French Dip Subs 108
Mayo-Based-"Salad" Sandwiches 110
Pulled Pork Sliders with Spicy Slaw 115
Tartines 118
Garlic Butter Italian Sausage Subs 124
Spicy Cajun Shrimp Po'Boys 127
Fried Avocado Tacos with Poblano Ranch 130
Grilled Pork Banh Mi 133
5 Food for Your Picky Spouse or Spawn Updated "Kid" Recipes
Homemade Corn Dogs and Trash Sauce with Relish 138
Chicken Potpie 141
Quesadillas, Three Ways 142
Potato Chip, Bacon, and Raspberry Grilled Cheese 145
Pecan-Crusted Chicken Strips with Honey Dijonnaise 148
Kirk's Mom's Spiced Jamaican Patties 153
Diner Cheeseburger Sliders with Hot Trash Sauce 155
6 Food for Hippies Vegetarian & Vegan Recipes
Tray's Tomato Pie 160
Veggie Gratin 163
"Noodles" with Crispy Broccoli and Cashew Cream Sauce 165
Sweet Potato and Black Bean Burgers 169
Mujadara with Zhoug 171
Margherita Pizza with Pesto and House Sauce 175
Veggie, Pesto, and Cheese Stuffed Shells 179
7 Food for When You Have No More Damns to Give Shortcuts, Semi-Homemade Meals & Leftovers
Green Chile Taco Cups 182
Red Curry with Whatever You Have 185
Pasta Bake with House Cream Sauce 187
Pork or Chicken or Beef or Shrimp Fried Rice 191
Taco Soup 192
Fajitas al Guajillo 195
Risotto with Whatever You Have 197
Cacio e Pepe 201
8 Food for When You Want to Seem Fancy Recipes that Impress
Braised Short Ribs 204
Peppercorn-Crusted Beef Tenderloin with Horseradish Cream 207
Friday Night Roast Chicken on Thursday 210
Honey Mustard Pecan-Crusted Salmon 213
Crab Cakes with Lemon Caper Butter Sauce 216
Jeff's Mom's Oil-Poached Fish with Soy, Ginger, and Scallions 219
Grilled Shrimp with Hot Honey and Coconut Rice 220
Herb-Crusted Pork Tenderloin with Orange-Chipotle Honey Glaze 223
9 Food that Goes Next to Your Food Sides & Salads
Sydney's Favorite Salad 228
Winter Panzanelta 231
Sliced Wedge Salad 234
Perfect Onion Rings 237
Hacked Uchi Brussels Sprouts 238
Grandma King's Carrots 241
Grilled Avocado Balsamic Bruschetta 242
10 Food that Comes after Your Food You Get One Dessert
Crème Brûlée 246
Acknowledgments 249
Index 251