Category: Recipes
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Bourbon Preserved Figs
If you’re lucky enough to have a fig tree, or a neighbor who has one, you have figs coming out your ears in early summer…and perhaps again in late fall, especially if you live in a Southern state. This fall crop of figs often gets interrupted by early frosts. The figs are still green when…
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Benny’s Legendary Rosemary Fried Chicken
My pumpkin carrot cake may be more famous, but that’s only because it appeared on MasterChef. This rosemary fried chicken has elicited the same response from virtually everyone who’s ever tried it: “This is the best fried chicken I’ve ever tasted.” It’s that good, folks. After you taste it, you’ll never want fried chicken from…
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How to Make Aged Cheese: “Black and Bleu” Ricotta Salata
I’ve been making cheese at home for about 3 years now, and SO many fans have begged me for instructions on how to make cheese after I’ve posted photos of exquisite homemade cheeses. Cheesemaking is a specific hobby with it’s own set of necessary equipment and supplies. It’s sort of like wine making or beer…
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How to Make the BEST Loaf of Bread on Planet Earth
Tough title to live up to, right? But I was literally stunned out of my mind when I tasted this bread the first time, and each time I’ve baked it since, it seems to get better. This bread makes people scream. Literally. What you are about to read is very, very long. After all, if…
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*NO CANS* Green Bean Casserole
Ah, green bean casserole…that staple of Thanksgiving dinners and church potlucks for decades. So easy that even someone who can’t cook can make it, because all you have to do is open a can of green beans, a can of cream of mushroom soup, and a package of French fried onions and it makes itself. …
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Crispy Fish Tacos
I’ve had quite a number of requests for the recipe for fish tacos that I served as my “signature dish” on MasterChef. It’s certainly not my signature dish, but it’s one of the only things I make that could be made in an hour, so that’s what I made! Fish tacos are one of the…
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“Ambassador Hotel” Black Bottom Pie
The “black bottom pie” is an ancient staple of Southern home cooking…most often found at church potlucks, family reunions, and Sunday suppers. It’s not common in home kitchens these days, but a unique institution in Los Angeles, of all places, gave this regional favorite a solid spot on the national dessert roster. The Ambassador hotel…
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Caramel Stuffed Banana Nut Muffins
What’s better than a banana nut muffin? A banana nut muffin stuffed with caramel. Of course. This recipe is based on the great Alton Brown’s banana bread recipe, which I’ve tweaked to make these decadent muffins. If you’re looking for a healthy breakfast recipe, this ain’t it. Check out my whole grain low-fat banana bread…
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Cabernet Jelly
Have you ever had wine jelly? It’s divine. And couldn’t be easier to make. In fact, the hardest part of this recipe is sterilizing the jars and lids, which is easy. You should do that first, because the jelly comes together VERY quickly once you start. This recipe makes about 4 pints of jelly, or…
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Beurre Blanc (white wine butter sauce)
Beurre blanc is a classic French sauce made with butter, white wine, and shallots. I recently made this sauce at a cooking demonstration to prove how important it is to cook with quality wine, and I promised I’d post the recipe. It’s a very simple sauce to make, and it goes fabulously with fish and…