Cody

Name: Mediterranean Chicken Sandwich
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 1
Ingredients: 8 pieces of naan bread; 1 lbs chicken tenders; Cavender's seasoning; 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 cup mozzarella cheese; 4 tbsp feta cheese; 2 tbsp sun-dried tomatoes; 1/2 cup fresh spinach, chopped; 4 tbsp peperoncini peppers; Also required: 2 different size cast iron skillets (large/med, med/small)

Mediterranean Chicken Sandwich

October 23, 2019 by Cody

Fast and filling, these Mediterranean Chicken Sandwiches are full of flavor!

We love these things!! I like using naan bread, but pitas and other flatbreads work as well. You know how, when cooking things like this (or omelette or over sized quesadilla), flipping it causes a disastrous come apart? Yea? Forget about that! With this cast iron skillet method that I got from Guy’s Big Bite, you’ll have perfectly pressed sandwiches. I prefer this method to a panini press any day, hands down.

Mediterranean Chicken Sandwich

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

8 pieces of naan bread
1 lbs chicken tenders
Cavender's seasoning
1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup mozzarella cheese
4 tbsp feta cheese
2 tbsp sun-dried tomatoes
1/2 cup fresh spinach, chopped
4 tbsp peperoncini peppers
Also required: 2 different size cast iron skillets (large/med, med/small)

Instructions

Rinse the chicken tenders, pat dry, chop, and season with Cavender's.
Add olive oil to skillet and place over medium high heat.
Add chicken and cook for approximately 10-12 minutes, or until done.
Take one piece of naan bread and top with chicken, spinach, feta and mozzarella, peppers, and tomatoes. Evenly distribute the toppings then place the second piece of bread on top. The goal is to have this pressed tightly and fully filled. It's better to have overflow at the beginning than to have a loose sandwich that falls apart.
Heat two cast irons (one large, one medium or medium and small) over medium high heat.
Place the completed sandwich in the larger cast iron. Then, take the heated smaller cast iron and sit it on top of the sandwich, ensuring that it sits flat to heat evenly. Press for approximately 2-3 minutes, or until lightly browned and thoroughly heated.
Cut in half and serve.

Nutrition Information:

Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 510Total Fat: 20gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 41mgSodium: 1055mgCarbohydrates: 59gFiber: 3gSugar: 5gProtein: 23g

Zesty Mac & Cheese

October 21, 2019 by Cody

This simple (no roux) Zesty Mac & Cheese puts a unique twist on the classic favorite!

We had some friends get married recently. The wedding was beautiful and the entire event was memorable for all. There was a social hour prior to the food being served and everyone got two free drinks. To claim those drinks, you paid with thin cuts of tree limbs that my friend cut prior. I think that is super cool! If walking up to a bar and paying for your drink with a round wood chip doesn’t make you feel the ways of the old hills, I don’t know what will.

The food, like everything else, was amazing. The talk of the table, though, seemed to be the macaroni. It only took a couple of bites for the light to go off in my head! I suspected that all they did was add ranch seasoning/mix. So, I gave it a test run. To this day, I still don’t know who catered or what they put in their macaroni and cheese (for certain). But, I got pretty close with this!

Zesty Mac & Cheese

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

8 oz medium cheddar
8 oz American cheese
2-3 tbsp ranch seasoning/mix
8 oz trompetti noodles
8 oz milk

Instructions

Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Sit the milk out and allow to sit at room temperature until needed.
Add trompetti noodles and return to boil. Cook uncovered until done, or approximately 12 minutes.
Strain noodles and return to pot with milk.
Cube or shred the cheeses and add to the pot. Place on medium heat and cover. Stir often.
Once cheese has melted, remove from heat and add the ranch seasoning/mix. Stir until seasoning is evenly distributed throughout.

Notes

This is best when consumed the same day. If you have leftovers, the best way to reheat is by adding milk and covering. If you choose to do this on the stove top, stir occasionally as it heats to prevent sticking and clumping. If you choose to microwave, remove and stir halfway through, then return to finish heating.

Roux or no roux?

A quick Google search of macaroni and cheese recipes will give you a huge variation, but they all (nearly all) have one thing in common……….they are roux based. Roux is just a base of fat/starch (butter/flour) that helps create a creamy end sauce rather than the cheese separating and clumping for an inconsistent, oily, stringy sauce; which can often happen when using natural cheeses like cheddar. Here’s the thing, roux wasn’t even on my radar until my mid twenties. Growing up, the family recipe passed around was easy……..er. All that was required was Velveeta, milk, and noodles.

Now, obviously the recipe has evolved a bit. To be honest, the first time I tried my grandmother’s recipe using just cheddar, I ran into the same problem that everyone else seems to when not using a roux. Splitting the difference on natural and processed cheese seemed to be the answer in forming my own recipe but staying true to the family way. See, cheese like American cheese is processed and contains emulsifiers, such as sodium citrate, to help prevent separation and facilitate a more creamy texture. With half of the cheese in my recipe being American, I have never had an issue with separation.

Baked Life Chicken

October 16, 2019 by Cody

This baked chicken coated with Life cereal is a sweet and salty favorite that can be made in less than 30 minutes!

I have no idea what gave me the idea to do this, but somewhere in my ventures of fried food alternatives I stumbled upon crispy gold. I smashed up Life cereal to use as the crust for crispy baked chicken! I’ve made it consistently for the past several years and it’s seemed to be pretty well liked. Quick and easy, it’s a good change up……….and guess what leftovers mean!? Chicken and biscuits!!…..”or waffles” – Wifey.

This is a great fall recipe because it pairs well with so many comfort sides like seasoned greens, zesty macaroni, or maple bourbon glazed carrots. Giving off the sweet and salty vibe, it’s easy to counter and/or compliment.

Baked Life Chicken

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

3 chicken breasts
2 cups of Life cereal
1 cup of flour
1 egg
salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425.
Wash chicken and pat dry. Slice the breasts in half, long ways as if you were butterflying them.
On one plate, pour flour and salt to taste. I use about 2 tsp per cup. The importance of the salt is to help establish the salty part of "sweet and salty". Seasoning salt is an option as well but, if you opt out of using salt completely, you run a high risk of some pretty bland chicken.
Beat the egg in a bowl and salt and pepper to taste.
In a food processor, blend down the cereal to the consistency of course bread crumbs. Pour the cereal onto a plate.
Dredge, dip, roll. Dredge the chicken in the flour, dip in the egg, and roll in the cereal.
Place the coated breasts on a roasting rack and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until internal temp is 165. You can use a sheet pan or any other preferred pan, but utilizing a roasting rack in a convectional oven helps prevent that soggy bottom and removes the need to rotate (in attempt to prevent the soggy side from staying/sticking). Pssssst! This is very similar to the air-frying method that circulates air more rapidly.
Optional: add some sea salt immediately after removing from oven.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 164Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 82mgSodium: 127mgCarbohydrates: 11gFiber: 1gSugar: 3gProtein: 21g

Maple Bourbon Glazed Carrots

October 14, 2019 by Cody

Fall is here! For us, in terms of food, that means hearty meals. Something about leaves falling and brisk weather just sparks that wholesome homey feeling. Grilled, smoked, and roasted meats are a regular and they need warm, welcoming sides. This is one of those sides. These Maple Bourbon Glazed Carrots are a great compliment to virtually any prepared meat.

Maple Bourbon Glazed Carrots

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

1.5 lbs of baby carrots
2 oz of bourbon
2 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp brown sugar
cracked pepper to taste
1 tbsp butter (optional)

Instructions

Bring a large pot of salted water (approximately 3 quarts) to a boil. (Optional: add 1 tbsp of butter to the water)
Add carrots and return to boil.
Reduce heat to medium and cover for 20-25 minutes.
Drain the water, saving 2 oz. Add that back to the carrots in the pot (uncovered) with 2 oz of bourbon. Allow the alcohol to cook off.
Add the brown sugar, cracked black pepper, and maple syrup; stir well and remove from heat.

Buffalo Chicken Mac

October 10, 2019 by Cody

This deliciously gooey and spicy Buffalo Chicken Mac will have you stuffed with satisfaction. Seriously! I literally eat to excess every time I make this.

Back in my law school days…….well, the two years that I attended anyway, my meal prep/cooking would lag on occasion. At times it was just easier to swing by somewhere on the two (plus) hour commute to grab food. The closest restaurant to school had this as an appetizer! I had been warned that it was as filling as any meal but was like, psssshht. I mean, I’m a foodie and can put it away with the best of them. If you didn’t know this, early phase law students (some……not all) tend to parallel the Globo Gym motto.

Oh, what’d you know!? I was wrong, haha. I walked into three and half hours of some overly interesting lecture 🤨 (after working the better part of the day) weighted down with gooey deliciousness. All internal and external signals were saying “sleeeeeep, sleeeeeep”. The struggle was real, but the food was good. So, I tortured myself with this same scenario on more than one occasion.

I rarely pass that restaurant these days and am unlikely to make any special trips to make it happen. Instead, doing what I do, I recreated it myself. When I get the crave, I hit the kitchen and whip this up in less than 30 minutes!

Buffalo Chicken Mac

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

8 oz mild cheddar
8 oz American cheese
8 oz milk
1 box chicken fry mix
1.5 lbs chicken tenders
16 oz trompetti noodles
croutons
buffalo sauce

Instructions

Bring water to a boil in a large pot.
Add trompetti noodles and return to boil. Cook uncovered until done, or approximately 12 minutes.
Strain noodles and return to pot.
Cube or shred the cheeses and add to the pot with milk. Place on medium-low heat and cover. Stir often.
Once cheese has melted, remove from heat.
Batter the chicken in fry mix. Follow the instructions on the specific fry mix of your choice. I use Zataran's New Orleans Style Hot & Spicy; which requires me to mix a small amount of water with the mix, dip chicken tenders in the liquid, then roll in the dry mix.
Fry chicken until the internal temperature reaches 165, or approximately 6-8 minutes for tenders.
Chop the chicken tenders and toss in the buffalo sauce of your choice. I like Guy Fieri's Buffalo NY Wing Sauce and Moore's, too.
Mix in with the pasta.
Garnish with croutons and drizzle with buffalo sauce. If you want to get extra cheesy, top with fresh shredded cheese.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 581Total Fat: 32gSaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 94mgSodium: 1269mgCarbohydrates: 40gFiber: 2gSugar: 2gProtein: 33g

Blackberry Jalapeno Waffles

October 9, 2019 by Cody

Spice things up a bit with these quick and simple Blackberry Jalapeno Waffles!

I was chowing down on some chicken and waffles with a friend one afternoon. They were gluten free so the waffles had a bit of a sweet cornbread vibe. The chicken had some spice and the plate was garnished with thin jalapeno slices. It was delicious!! Fast forward a couple years to when we had a bunch of extra jalapenos from the garden. Looking for some alternative methods, my mind went back to those little jalapeno slices that came with that chicken and waffles meal. For reasons still unknown, Blackberry Jalapeno just seemed to be “it”. I played around with the recipe for a bit and, three waffle makers later, I’ve got it pegged.

Waffle Makers

My wife and I received a waffle maker as a wedding present. We loved it!! And we used it until it literally fell apart. It’s demise was inevitable and really had nothing to do with the quality, in my opinion ( I just wish I could remember the name). The next one we purchased was terrible! After the first attempt, we were skeptical. On the second, it got tossed. On the brink of a waffle depression, we came across our current waffle maker. So far, I’ve enjoyed it and we are back to making our waffles at home. The moral of the story is that there are good ones and bad ones but don’t let an awful waffle lead you away from golden crispy glory!

The Mix

You can use any store bought pancake mix here but, make sure you follow the instructions for waffles! We typically use Kodiak Cakes or Krusteaz.

Blackberry Jalapeno Waffles

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 7 minutes

Total Time: 12 minutes

Ingredients

1 cup of pancake/waffle mix
1 tbsp oil
3/4 cup of milk
1/4 cup of muddled blackberries
1/4 jalapeno
1-2 tsps of sugar (optional)
Toppings: Honey or Maple syrup

Instructions

Turn the waffle maker on and allow to heat.
Rinse blackberries and jalapenos. Pat dry.
Mince the jalapeno starting at the bottom of the pepper. 1/4 of the pepper should stop you short of reaching the seeds. Muddle the blackberries.
Combine mix, milk, oil, jalapenos, and blackberries in a bowl. If you prefer, add a teaspoon or two of sugar to the mix. This can help balance the flavors, especially when dealing with some tart berries.
Pour batter into waffle maker and let cook until golden and crispy. Your machine should let you know when it's done with either a light or beep.
Drizzle with honey or maple syrup. Enjoy!

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 2 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 484Total Fat: 25gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 19gCholesterol: 100mgSodium: 737mgCarbohydrates: 51gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 14g

50/50 DIY Sloppy Joe

October 3, 2019 by Cody

This venison and beef, DIY Sloppy Joe is a great introduction to wild game!

I hunt and, when successful, I add to the freezer inventory to enjoy at a later date. When handled and cooked properly, wild game is very palatable. Yet, I hear it all the time,….. “too gamey” or “musky”. For those who feel that way, my argument is that somewhere after the kill, you’re lacking in skill (or at least whoever prepared it is). There are various ways to improve the over all quality and taste of game meat. When introducing a weary eater to wild game, I typically use ground meat to prepare a dish that has an abundance of additional flavors.

Enchiladas, spaghetti, Bolognese, and meatloaf are a few examples of good “introductory” game preparations. And, of course, there’s this Sloppy Joe recipe!! I’ve made all of the pre-mentioned meals with venison (only) and nobody said a word about the use of wild game; until I asked, that is. Then it’s “I thought there was something different about it”. 🙄 It was enjoyed, none the less. If I’m dealing with an overly certain critic or super skeptic, I mix this 50/50 blend (venison/beef). This is the secret!! Just ask my grandma. She refuses to eat wild game and hasn’t touched the stuff 🤫😉.

The 50/50 Meat

Now, especially in recent years, I process my own harvest. This allows me to vary my lean/fat ratio as I see fit. For standard ground venison, I usually stay around 80/20 or 80/15 and utilize pork fat as the other ingredient. However, for ground game that I intend to add to beef, I do not add pork fat. In adding a lean game grind to an 80/20 ground beef, the leanness is increased by about ten percent. The result? A 90/10 venison and beef mixture. If this doesn’t get your weary wild game guest to cross over, there may be no hope for them.

50/50 DIY Sloppy Joe

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

1 lb. ground beef
1 lb. ground venison
3 cloves of garlic
1/2 onion
1/2 green bell pepper
1 1/3 cup of ketchup
1 tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper
1/4 tsp garlic salt

Instructions

Blend all dry seasonings together in a bowl. Season the meat with approximately half and save the rest for a later step. Tip: sub the seasonings with 1 tbsp of Flavorgod Everything.
Brown the ground meat over medium-high heat. If you have any questions about this step, this is a good read (click here).
Finely chop the onion and bell pepper. When meat is approximately halfway browned, add the chopped onion and pepper.
In a separate bowl, combine Worcestershire, ketchup, and brown sugar.
When the meat is fully browned, add the sauce and remainder of seasoning. Stir well.
Reduce heat and simmer for about 3-5 minutes, stirring regularly.
Serve on a sesame bun.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 316Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 106mgSodium: 678mgCarbohydrates: 15gFiber: 1gSugar: 11gProtein: 31g

Wedge Salad

October 1, 2019 by Cody

With thin sliced sirloin and a balsamic drizzle added to the Wedge Salad’s classic toppings like blue cheese and bacon, how could you not crave this smothered iceberg boat!?

I rarely crave salads but when I do, I crave this one! This spin on the classic wedge salad adds some extra meat for a more filling meal. This salad makes a perfect lunch, too.

Wedge salad?

A wedge salad is typically a wedge of iceberg lettuce with, at least, blue cheese, bacon bits, tomatoes, and red onions. All I’ve done is double the blue cheese, add some steak, and drizzle some balsamic to bump this pre-meal snack to the main course.

Wedge Salad

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 18 minutes

Additional Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 58 minutes

Ingredients

8 oz sirloin steak, seasoned
½ cup bleu cheese dressing
¼ cup bleu cheese crumbles
1 head of lettuce
8 grape tomatoes
¼ red onion
3 pieces of bacon
1 tbsp balsamic glaze (approx. for drizzle)

Instructions

Rub the steak down with your favorite seasoning and allow it to sit at room temperature for approximately 30 min.
Cook the bacon, let cool, and chop.
Over medium-high heat, cook the steak for approximately six minutes per side to achieve medium. Let steak rest for about ten minutes.
Wash the iceberg head and peal the first two layers off. Then, chop into quarters
Either quarter or halve the grape tomatoes, whichever you prefer, and slice the red onion. I slice thin rings then chop those into thirds.
Place each wedge on a plate and equally top with tomato, onion, bleu cheese crumbles, steak, and bacon.
Pour the bleu cheese dressing over each salad and drizzle with balsamic glaze.
Hit with a couple twist of fresh cracked black pepper (optional)

Chicken Penne Arrabbiata

September 22, 2019 by Cody

For those who like some spice in their pasta, this Chicken Penne Arrabbiata won’t disappoint.

Ok say it with me, “ahh ree va der chee” . Haha, moving on! Now that I’ve envisioned everyone reading this and sounding like Aldo Raine on Inglorious Basterds, here’s how to say it. Literally meaning angry, arrabbiata is just spicy enough to have you hot-headed before you reach the meal’s end. This particular version can be ready in under an hour with rather minimal effort (because we’re not making the sauce from scratch).

Chicken Penne Arrabbiata

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Additional Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
2 lbs chicken tenders, chopped
16 oz penne pasta
½ tsp seasoned salt
¼ Italian herb blend
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper
1/8 cup Parmesan cheese
24 oz Arrabbiata Sauce
Salt (optional)

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 400 (set on roast)

Bring water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add 1 tbsp olive oil and a punch of salt (optional) – “Did I say pinch or punch?” – Al Pacino, Donnie Brasco

Add penne and return to a boil.

Cook uncovered for approximately 10 minutes, or per instructions.

While the water is reaching a boil, wash your chicken, pat dry, and chop into small chunks or your preferred size.

Season your chicken with seasoned salt, herbs, and pepper and place in skillet over medium-high heat, cooking for 10-12 minutes or until done. If you time it right, your chicken and penne should be done around the same time.

Drain pasta.

Add chicken and penne to roasting pan, top with Arrabbiata sauce, stir and cover.

Place in oven for approximately 30 minutes.

Remove from oven, top with parmesan and cover.

Let sit long enough for cheese to melt (5 min) and serve.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 691Total Fat: 33gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 23gCholesterol: 74mgSodium: 1950mgCarbohydrates: 63gFiber: 5gSugar: 7gProtein: 35g

PB&J Burger

September 20, 2019 by Cody

When PB&J meets bacon cheeseburger, you get an interesting flavor combination that keeps you chomping til it’s gone!

A few months ago, I came across this overly delicious (dangerously delicious) peanut butter whiskey. It wasn’t sold locally yet, but it is now! Luckily, shortly after I tried it, we traveled a few hours away for a family event. On our way home, I found it on the shelf and went all Garth Brooks, “BRING ME TWO……….”. With each hand gripping a bottle of the peanut butter nectar, my wheels were spinning about the night’s plans. I now had this delicious drink and hadn’t had supper. So, I called the fam with the jams and we worked out a plan. PB&J Burgers!!!! I had never made them and none of us had eaten them, but with this new drink and Marley’s Jams, it just made sense.

We all gathered round the table and were each probably halfway through the burger before we made a decision. We loved them! It’s kind of like that weird friend that you love because, despite their weirdness (uniqueness), they’re awesome in their world……..and yours! That is the best way I can describe it, strangely amazing.

The Burger

The are a couple key considerations in creating this concoction. Those are seasoning and ratios. My preference and advice is to keep the peanut butter and jam as underlying flavor notes. Otherwise, it dominates and makes you feel more like you’re eating a sandwich than a burger. But again, you do you! Same goes with the patty size. There has been some debate about 1/4 lb vs 1/3 lb, but both are good. This is simply a matter of preference.

The seasoning, however, is key. You can season your meat with your preference but keep in mind that this is what brings cohesion to the burger. I’ve tried a few different ways and the two best seem pretty funky. They are, actually, but they work. You’ve seen both brands here before and they are Manitou Trading Company’s Five Spice Powder and Flavor God’s Jamaican Jerk Seasoning. I’ve found that for dark jams, like grape or blackberry, the five spice powder works great. For red jams, like strawberry or raspberry, the jerk seasoning is the way to go. They just work! I’ve done blind challenges for people to choose their favorite to confirm, too.

PB&J Burger

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

1/3 lb hamburger patty
1 slice smoked cheddar
1 tsp peanut butter
1 tsp jam
1 1/2 slice of bacon
1 brioche bun

Instructions

Cook the bacon to your preferred crispiness. I like to put some fresh cracked pepper on mine.
Season the burger and sear each side in a cast iron for approximately 60-90 seconds. You want a crisp char on each side. Then place in the oven for about 8 minutes.
About half way through, top the burger with cheese, allowing the cheese to melt.
Place the bun face down on a buttered cast iron over medium heat to toast. Be careful not to burn.
Spread the peanut butter on the bottom half of the bun and the jam on the top half.
Place the burger on the bun, top with bacon, and complete. With this setup, the bite should go: nutty, beefy, smoky, savory/peppery, then sweet. With so much flavor, you'll be halfway through the burger before you have it all figured out!

Nutrition Information:

Amount Per Serving:

For other great burger ideas, see The Triple Stack Burger and The Funky Java Burger.