Main Course

Skillet Enchilada Meatballs

October 23, 2018

A while back I made these Chicken Tikka Masala Meatballs and y’all went crazy for them. I don’t blame you though because they’re delicious chicken meatballs cooked in a homemade flavorful tikka masala sauce, what’s not to like?! And because they were such a hit, I decided to give you another meatball skillet recipe to obsess over. I’m obsessing over it, and so I’ll just feel better if I weren’t the only one. These Skillet Enchilada Meatballs are cooked in a thickened enchilada sauce with sliced tortillas and lots of cheese. They’re a much easier way to make and eat enchiladas, but better yet, meatballs are involved and I’m always down for a dish with meatballs in it. Top it with your favorite taco fixings for that ultimate Tex-Mex dish that is perfect for weeknight meals, weekend family gatherings or even potlucks!

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Cheers to the Weekend: Tex-Mex Pot Pies

January 6, 2017

It’s the first Cheers to the Weekend post of the New Year and it’s really good! Or at least I like to think so because I’m a really big fan of chicken pot pies and Tex-Mex, and so these Tex-Mex Pot Pies are right up my alley. The idea came to me from watching Guy’s Grocery Games. I’m obsessed with this show, I can’t get enough of it. There was one episode where the contestants had to make pot pies and of course they weren’t allowed to make traditional pot pies because to make matters worse, they couldn’t use pie crust or puff pastry and so they had to think outside the box as these shows normally make you do. That’s TV gold right there. One of the contestants decided to make a Mexican pot pie and for her crust she fried up tortillas strips and topped them with that. The judges loved the filling, but weren’t too keen on the “crust” made of tortilla strips. One judge said it would’ve been better if she fried the whole tortillas and topped it like a lid on the pot pies. I can’t remember if she went on to win or not, but her idea along with the judge’s idea gave me the idea to create this masterpiece. Life is crazy. Moral of the story is to watch TV. You’ll get some great ideas. Help me Cheers to the Weekend by making these Tex-Mex pot pies. You won’t regret it.

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Pumpkin Pizza

November 4, 2016

It’s pumpkin season and I’m sure you’re getting pumpkin recipes thrown at you left to right. Most of them are sweet, as we know pumpkin mostly in sweet form, but every now and then we’ll be pleasantly surprised because a delicious savory pumpkin recipe with come at us outta left field. Completely unexpected but totally welcomed. Take this Pumpkin Pizza for instance. It’s savory and it’s out of this world. An easy to make homemade pumpkin pizza sauce is what anchors this entire dish and makes it a bit unforgettable. I’m not sure if you’re aware, but pumpkin by itself tends to be rather bland actually. I mean, it’s got a little bit of a squash flavor (because it’s a squash), almost nutty, but other than that it’s pretty plain. The sweetness we usually associate it with comes from the sugar and of course pumpkin spice that are mixed into it for pies and cookies and cheesecakes. Because of this, pumpkin lends itself really well to savory dishes, especially this pizza sauce. The toppings like the chorizo, mushrooms, arugula and pumpkin seeds balance everything perfectly with the sauce, making it your new favorite Fall pizza flavor. Leftovers are great the next day, so If I were you, I’d make two pizzas. You’re going to want it. No, you’re going to need it.

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Chicago-Style Deep Dish Pizza

August 15, 2013

How do you like to eat your pizza? I go through pizza phases, like a pregnant woman goes through cravings. So I’ve heard, I wouldn’t know. At times I don’t want sauce. A pizza topped simply with sliced tomatoes and hunks of fresh mozzarella cheese. Baked until golden brown and crispy and sprinkled with ribbons of fresh basil right out of the oven. Then there are times when sauce and I are best friends again and I slather it on like no tomorrow. Oh hay sauce, come join the party. I’ll dump a heaping amount of cheese—it’s the only way to go—and call it a day. Sometimes I feel like being a classically boring guy where I put a thick layer of pepperoni on my pie. Those days I can’t be bothered, pepperoni is everything. Of course there are also the days when I lose all reason or logic and top my pizza with anything and everything I can find or get my hands on. Remind me to tell you about the time my pizza was loaded with so much that I couldn’t even pick it up. I could tell you now but it’s such a long story and I’m not even sure you want to read about it. But since you insist, it goes something like this (stop me if you’ve heard it before): One day I put so many different toppings on my pizza that after I baked it and sliced it and was ready to eat it, I couldn’t even pick it up. It crumbled under the weight of all the delicious toppings. The end. Oh well what do you know, it wasn’t that long of a story after all. I was forced to eat my pizza with a knife and fork. Yes, I became that guy. I give you permission to judge. You have all right to.

Let me be the one to say that some things are just never meant to be on, in, or around the vicinity of pizza, I’m referring to you hot dog pizza. Sorry but no. Just no. There are a million different topping combinations you can choose from which is why I think pizza is so delicious. You can literally eat pizza every day and have it be something completely different each time. With those possibilities it’s practically impossible to get bored of it. With that being said I volunteer to eat pizza every single day for the rest of my life, just to figure out how many topping possibilities there actually are. It’s a tough job but someone has to do it. I’m willing to “suffer.” And don’t even get me started on the different crust options. That’s a whole other topic, that I can get into right now, but I won’t because I’m sure you all just want Chicago-style deep dish pizza. I don’t blame you, it’s a good pizza.

This here is one of those moments when I lost all control and put everything but the kitchen sink up on this pie. Not only is the crust to topping ratio unbelievable with the crust winning the battle, but it’s also super easy to make. Sure it would be easier to order a pizza from a local spot and picking it up, but you don’t want to do that. You want to make your own pizza. You want to make it from scratch. That should have hypnotized you. Now back to our regularly scheduled program. Don’t even start complaining about how hard and time consuming homemade pizza dough is, because it isn’t. I’m bringing you a no-knead dough. It’s literally just throwing all the ingredients together and mixing. Then covering and resting. Easy. I couldn’t make this any easier for you unless I made it for you. As much as I’d like to make pizza dough for all of you, it’s just not going to happen. Let’s be real, I’d eat it all. And that’s the honest truth. Pizza for life.

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Fried Chicken and Waffle Sandwiches

July 8, 2013

Before we can dive, mouth first, into this post we need to discuss one important topic. It’s more so answering a critical question, really. It happens to be the biggest question ever asked in the food world. The answer to which is the most vital piece of information that can ever be granted. You might be wondering what the question is. I’ll tell you that it’s a question I’m most often asked. Perhaps you’ve been asked it too. You’d be surprised how may people inquire about such a topic. Pancakes, waffles or french toast? My answer is always waffles. Waffles to the very end of my existence. Waffles for life. Waffles, always and forever. Waffles for the win. And not just because this happens to be a waffle post, no, but because crispy on the outside, moist on the inside waffles are to die for. Although not on pancake days. Tall stacks of warm flapjacks with butter and maple syrup, perhaps with a few chocolate chips thrown into the batter? Definitely pancakes. Pancakes to the very end of my existence. Pancakes for life. Pancakes, always and forever. Pancakes for the win. Yet french toast, however, is kind of the best thing on the planet, isn’t it? Challah or brioche french toast with a dusting of powdered sugar, perhaps even stuffed with cream cheese and berries? Most definitely french toast, hands down one hundred percent. French toast to the very end of my existence. French toast for life. French toast, always and forever. French toast for the win. Do you see my dilemma? I can never get anywhere with this.

Over the weekend I was housesitting/cat sitting for a friend. It was a nice get-away for me, as said friend lives by the beach. Now I know what you must be thinking, “But Jonathan, you hate the beach!” If you weren’t thinking it before, you’re thinking it now. And you’re right, I’m not a beach person—I’m not much of a sun person really—but I am a cooler weather person. So I’m all for houses by the beach and gloomy overcast days. I decided to get some work done—in between constantly taking pictures of her cat and getting on his nerves with hugs and kisses of course—while I was over there. I always think it’s fun to cook in someone else’s kitchen. You get thrown out of your comfort zone, out of your element. It’s sort of weird preparing for a post in a space I’m not familiar with, especially since my friend also bakes and cooks and shoots and writes. It’s like walking around in someone else’s shoes for a day, ones that take you a while to get used to. However, I did manage and I actually had a lot of fun shooting somewhere different. Somewhere that wasn’t my own house for a change. I’m sure Miller, my college studio lighting teacher would be oh so proud of me for that, so this post is for him for forcing me out of my comfort zone (it only took me a year to do it). In the end I love how the pictures turned out, but lets be honest, shooting with the cutest cat in the world, certainly helped. He’s a hoot, constantly sneaking up trying to get food, thinking he can’t be seen. Oh I can see you Jules Stevens, I can see you and you’re adorable. I guess when it comes to fried chicken and waffles none of us can keep away.

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