Sometimes the best recipes are the ones that don't require a long list of ingredients or a complicated afternoon in the kitchen. This Roasted Poblano Soup is a perfect example. I came across this recipe on Mexican Please, a site with a great collection of approachable Mexican recipes. What caught my attention was how much flavor you can get from a handful of ingredients, especially when roasted poblano peppers are the star of the show. The poblanos give the soup a smoky, eart

Sometimes the vegetable dish is the thing I keep thinking about after dinner. If you’ve eaten at Din Tai Fung, you know what I mean. Their Taiwanese cabbage with garlic looks almost too simple to be memorable, but somehow it is: tender but still crisp, loaded with garlic, and savory without being covered in a heavy sauce. I came across this copycat version from CJ Eats, and what immediately appealed to me was how straightforward it is. This is exactly the kind of side dish I

Sometimes I come across a recipe that makes me wonder why I haven’t been making it for years. This buttermilk pie is one of those recipes. My favorite southern/ soulfood restaurant, "Les Sisters," used to make it, and I loved it. I found this recipe on Allrecipes, where it was submitted by Tracy Mulder, and what caught my attention was how simple it is. Eggs, sugar, butter, flour, buttermilk, a little lemon and vanilla, and nutmeg. That’s about it. If you’ve never had butterm

Creamy Pasta and Zucchini There are certain pasta dishes that remind you how little you actually need to make something really good. Pasta, zucchini, onion, basil, Parmigiano, olive oil. That’s basically it. This is my version of pasta with zucchini, one of those simple Italian dishes where the vegetables aren’t something you toss into the pasta at the end—they actually become the sauce. The trick here is blending about half of the zucchini after it has simmered. You still ge

Beef Stroganoff is one of those dishes that I don't make often enough. Tender beef, mushrooms, onions, and a creamy sauce over buttered egg noodles—there isn't much not to like here. I came across this version from Sip and Feast on YouTube, and what caught my attention was the way he seasons and marinates the beef before it ever hits the pan. Most Stroganoff recipes I've made go straight from slicing the beef to cooking it. This one gives the meat a couple of hours with Worc

Gumbo is one of those dishes that I love, but I don't always love how long it takes to make. So when I came across this Instant Pot I had to give it a try. What really caught my attention was that he doesn't try to make the roux in the Instant Pot. Instead, the roux goes into the oven and gets nice and dark while you work on everything else. You still get that deep gumbo flavor, but without standing over the stove stirring flour and butter forever. And don't let the fish sauc

There are certain foods where the topping is greater than what lies beneath it. Hot dogs are a prime example. Mustard is acceptable. Relish has its role. But a hot dog smothered in soft, slightly spicy, tomato-infused onions transforms into something far more intriguing. These are essentially New York hot dog cart-style onions: thinly sliced onions simmered with tomato paste, mustard, hot sauce, chili powder, and just enough cayenne for a bit of a kick. Though they require ab

This recipe initially seemed unlikely to work, but I was pleasantly surprised—it tastes exactly like a Big Mac! Drew from @Official_drew_cooks on Instagram really knocked it out of the park with this one. I think it's a fun way to elevate the flavor of your next meatloaf. **Annotated Cooking Notes:** If you're worried about contaminated lettuce, feel free to skip it; the lettuce is just there for presentation when serving the meatloaf. Also, Drew and I used crumbled hamburg

This quick, easy pasta is perfect for a summer afternoon. It's very little cooking and utilizes a blender instead of a burner. The red peppers really bring a surprise to the people who expect this to be a traditional red sauce pasta. Annotated Cooking Notes: No need to clean the blender between steps; just let it all blend together. 300g dried penne 1 bunch of flat-leaf parsley (30g) extra virgin olive oil 1 clove of garlic 1 x 460g jar of roasted red peppers 100g blanche

Goldee's regularly appears in Texas Monthly's list of the best Texas BBQ, and to achieve such recognition, it's not enough to have excellent meat; you also need great sides. This potato salad is both creamy and spicy. I believe it would pair wonderfully with the Banana pudding recipe I shared, and together, they'd truly enhance your cookout. Annotated Cooking Notes: Keep the skin on the potatoes as it adds to the texture. Dressing 1 large egg 6 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

I loved cold soups in the Summer time and I love Gazpacho. This recipe was posted on the NY Times Cooking page and hails from Seville, Spain. Unlike American gazpachos, this is smooth and creamy, not chunky like most gazpachos here in the U.S. It's more a drink than a soup; in fact, I can't help but think this would make for an excellent Bloody Mary. Annotated Cooking Notes: Chill your glasses or bowls in the fridge before you serve this soup and it will create a wonderful

Consider this: Banana Pudding might just be the ultimate summer dessert. No grill or BBQ gathering feels complete without it. After discovering and testing this recipe from MeatChurch.com, I was surprised by how little banana is actually used in the pudding, yet how much flavor is derived from that minimal amount. Annotated Cooking Notes: Yes, I put these in jars like Meat Church, but when I make this again, and I will, I will probably put it in a big bowl to serve family st

Paella, this dish came about because Costco had a paella pan for under $30. Well, challenge accepted! However, the idea of cooking paella was daunting. Although this recipe isn't directly from a chef or content creator, I learned the basics of making paella from the YouTube channel Spain on a Fork. Annotated Cooking Notes: The type of rice is important; avoid Rice-a-Roni Spanish rice. Use Bomba or Calasparra rice, which can be found at World Markets or online. If those aren't

This recipe is a mash-up of two separate recipes. Italian Style Sashimi from Swann's Oyster Depot in San Francisco and the Tuna Carpaccio recipe going around on social media. I just combined two great ideas. Annotated Cooking Notes: If the Tuna comes out of the tortilla press unevenly or not round, just move the excess around and re-smash it. Ingredients 6 oz Sushi-grade tuna 4 oz sushi-grade salmon 4 oz sushi-grade yellowtail ( hamachi) 1 avocado diced 1/2 shallot, finely