Enchilada Sauce

INGREDIENTS 3 Tablespoons chili powder hot or mild 1/2 teaspoon onion powder 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaf scant 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 1/4 teaspoon cumin 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil 2 Tablespoons gluten-free flour see notes 1/4 cup tomato paste 2 cups chicken stock or broth INSTRUCTIONS To a small bowl, add the spices – chili powder through cumin – then stir to combine and set aside. Heat the oil in a medium-size saucepan over medium heat then add the flour and cook while whisking constantly for 1 minute. Add the seasonings then whisk until they’re toasted and very fragrant, 30 seconds. Switch to a spatula then add the tomato paste and mash it in with the seasonings to create a thick paste. Switch back to a whisk then slowly stream in the chicken stock or broth while whisking to create a smooth sauce. Turn the heat up to medium-high then bring the sauce to a simmer while stirring slowly and constantly with a spatula. Once simmering, turn the heat back down to medium then simmer for an additional 1 to 2 minutes or until the sauce has thickened (sauce will continue to thicken as it cools). Cool slightly before using.

April 29, 2025 · Travis

Marry Me Chicken Pasta

INGREDIENTS 8 ounces uncooked pasta 2 tablespoons butter 1/2 tablespoon flour 3-4 cloves garlic minced 1 tablespoon tomato paste 1/3 cup dry white wine or chicken broth 1 cup heavy/whipping cream 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 2 cups cooked/rotisserie chicken shredded 1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese + more for serving 1 small handful fresh basil torn/chopped Salt & pepper to taste INSTRUCTIONS Boil a salted pot of water for the pasta and cook it al dente according to package directions. When the pasta is about 10 minutes away from being done, add the butter to a skillet over medium heat. Once it melts, sprinkle the flour in and cook for about a minute, stirring often. Add in the garlic, tomato paste, and wine. Give it a good stir and let it bubble for about one minute. Whisk in the cream, then stir in the sun-dried tomatoes, oregano, red pepper flakes, and chicken, and cook it for a few minutes until the sauce has thickened to your liking. Stir in the parmesan and basil and take the skillet off the heat. Season generously with salt & pepper. Prior to draining the pasta, reserve some of the hot pasta water. Add the drained pasta to the skillet and toss until coated. If needed, pour in a splash of the hot pasta water to the sauce to thin it out a bit. Serve immediately with more parmesan if desired.

March 19, 2025 · Travis

Cacio E Pepe

INGREDIENTS 8 ounces uncooked pasta 2 tablespoons butter, diced into 1-tablespoon chunks 1 teaspoon freshly-ground coarse black pepper 2 ounces finely-grated Pecorino-Romano cheese INSTRUCTIONS Boil the pasta water. Fill a large stockpot about halfway full of water (roughly 3 quarts) and bring it to a rolling boil. Generously season the water with fine sea salt (about 2 tablespoons). Bloom the pepper. Meanwhile, as the pasta water heats, melt the butter in a large sauté pan (preferably nonstick) over medium heat. Add the pepper and let it cook for 30 seconds, then turn off the heat. If you have an electric stove, you’ll want to remove the pan from the hot burner entirely. Cook the pasta. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is just barely al dente. Toss the pasta. Use tongs to quickly transfer the pasta directly to the sauté pan with the melted butter and pepper. Add 1/3 cup of the starchy pasta water to the pan and toss the pasta briefly to combine. Add in half of the cheese and toss the pasta briefly to coat. Add in the remaining half of the cheese and continue tossing the pasta, adding in a few extra tablespoons of starchy pasta water if needed to thin out the sauce, until the cheese is melted and forms a smooth and glossy sauce. Serve the pasta immediately, garnished with an extra twist of black pepper and/or extra Pecorino if desired. This pasta is definitely best served hot out of the pan, so please enjoy it right away!

February 3, 2025 · Travis

Baked Ziti

INGREDIENTS 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 2 medium yellow onions, minced 10 large garlic cloves, minced Kosher salt 1 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1 (28-ounce) can peeled whole tomatoes 2 teaspoons sugar 2 teaspoons dried oregano 1 pound ziti 1 1/2 pounds whole-milk mozzarella cheese, shredded 2 cups finely grated Parmesan cheese 8 sprigs fresh basil, stemmed INSTRUCTIONS Preheat the oven to 375°F. MAKE THE SAUCE: In a large skillet set over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add the onions and garlic and season with salt and the red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring from time to time, until the onions become translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, sugar, and oregano and stir to blend. Cook, continuing to stir from time to time, until the tomatoes start to smell cooked and the raw garlic mellows, 18 to 20 minutes more. Taste for seasoning. COOK THE PASTA: Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add a generous handful of salt; the pasta water should taste like seawater. Add the pasta and stir with a slotted spoon to make sure it does not clump or stick to the bottom. Cook until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water, then drain the pasta in a large colander. COMBINE THE PASTA AND SAUCE: Add the hot pasta right from the colander to the skillet and toss to coat with the sauce. Shut the heat off and allow the pasta to rest for 10 minutes-ideally the pasta is nicely coated with the sauce but it still looks saucy and not dried out. If it becomes too thick, simply thin it out with some of the reserved pasta water. BAKE THE PASTA: Fill an 8.5 x 11-inch baking dish with half of the ziti, sprinkling half of the mozzarella and Parmesan over the pasta as you fill the dish. Top with all of the remaining pasta and cheese. Bake until the top browns, 15 to 18 minutes. Switch the oven to broil and broil the ziti until the top is browned and the sauce bubbling, 2 to 3 minutes. SERVE: Tear the basil and sprinkle over the top. Serve family style.

January 30, 2025 · Travis

Brown Rice Breakfast Pudding

INGREDIENTS 3 cups cooked brown rice 2 cups unsweetened almond milk (or whole milk) 1 cinnamon stick 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves, to taste 1 cup dates, pitted and chopped 1 tart apple (such as Granny Smith), cored and chopped 1/4 cup raisins Salt to taste 1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted 1 tbsp sugar or to taste (or none) INSTRUCTIONS Combine the rice, almond milk, cinnamon stick, cloves, and dates in a medium saucepan and cook over medium-low heat for 12 minutes, or until the mixture thickens. Add the apple, raisins, and salt. Remove the cinnamon stick before serving, and serve garnished with the toasted almonds.

January 30, 2025 · Travis

Big Mac Casserole

INGREDIENTS 8 frozen hash brown patties 1 onion 1 cup mayonnaise 2 teaspoons Kosher salt, divided 2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish 2 teaspoons white vinegar 2 teaspoons sugar 2 teaspoons mustard 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika 1 teaspoon onion powder 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 1/4 lb ground beef sirloin 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce 8 ounces Cheddar cheese, grated, divided 2 teaspoons sesame seeds 3 cups shredded iceberg lettuce 1/2 cup hamburger dill pickle slices, roughly chopped INSTRUCTIONS Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees F). Place hash brown patties in a single layer along the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish. Bake in the preheated oven until golden and crisp on the bottom, about 25 minutes. Meanwhile, grate or very finely mince 2 tablespoons of onion and set aside, along with any accumulated juices. Cut the remaining onion into a small dice and set aside. While hash browns bake, combine grated onion with mayonnaise, 1/2 teaspoon salt, sweet pickle relish, white vinegar, sugar, mustard, paprika, and onion powder in a bowl and mix well. Set aside. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef and cook, undisturbed for 3 minutes. Continue to cook, while crumbling the meat with the back of a spoon and stirring occasionally, until browned and mostly cooked through, about 5 minutes. Season with remaining salt, pepper, Worcestershire and remaining chopped onions and cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in 2/3 cup of the sauce mixture and 1 1/3 cup cheese. Flip hash brown patties over, so the crispy side is on top. Pour meat mixture over hash browns and top with remaining shredded cheese. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and bake until bubbly and cheese is melted, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes. Top with shredded lettuce and drizzle with remaining sauce. Top with chopped pickles and serve immediately.

November 1, 2024 · Travis

Air Fryer French Fries

INGREDIENTS 2 russet potatoes, sliced into 1/4-inch sticks Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling Sea salt INSTRUCTIONS Preheat the air fryer to 380°F. Drizzle the potatoes with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and toss to coat. Place the potatoes in the air fryer basket in a single layer so that the potatoes are not touching each other. You will have to work in batches. Air fry for 12 to 15 minutes*, flipping halfway, or until crispy. If your fries are not crispy, air fry them a little longer. Once all batches are finished, toss them all back into the air fryer (no need to place in a single layer this time) for 1 to 2 minutes to warm and re-crisp any that got cold from the first few batches.

October 6, 2024 · Travis

Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Wings

INGREDIENTS 2 pounds frozen chicken wings 1 tablespoon light olive oil, avocado oil, or other oil 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon onion powder 1 teaspoon paprika 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper INSTRUCTIONS Place the frozen wings in the basket of your air fryer. Cook at 400°F for 9-10 minutes until chicken is defrosted. Remove the chicken wings and place them in a bowl. Drain any liquid that accumulated in the air fryer basket. Add the oil, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper to the chicken wings and toss until the wings are coated with the spices. Place the wings back in the air fryer basket and cook at 400°F for 10-12 minutes until the wings are crispy and cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F. Flip the wings halfway through cooking. NOTES Don’t overcrowd the basket. Cook the wings in a single layer so that they crisp up nicely. Once the wings are defrosted, make sure you drain the water in the basket before putting them back in the air fryer. This will help the wings crisp up. You can serve the wings naked or toss them with your favorite sauce. I like to toss them with my homemade honey buffalo sauce but you can also toss the wings with barbecue sauce, teriyaki sauce or your favorite wing sauce.

October 6, 2024 · Travis

Sugar Cookies

INGREDIENTS 1 cup sugar 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted 1 egg 2 tablespoons milk 2 teaspoons vanilla 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt INSTRUCTIONS Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease 2 cookie sheets. Combine sugar, melted butter, egg, milk, and vanilla. Beat or stir until smooth. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture and beat or stir until combined. Drop teaspoons of dough onto a cookie sheet, and press each cookie down with the bottom of a glass or the palm of your hand. Bake 10 to 12 minutes at 375 degrees, until the edges just begin to turn golden brown. Cool for 2 minutes on the cookie sheets, then transfer to cooling racks. Makes about 3 dozen cookies ...

October 2, 2024 · Travis

Hot Fudge Sauce

INGREDIENTS 2 tablespoon unsalted butter 2/3 cup heavy or whipping cream 1/2 cup light corn syrup, golden syrup, or honey 1/4 cup packed dark-brown sugar 1/4 cup cocoa powder 1/4 teaspoon fine or table sea salt 6 ounces semi or bittersweet chocolate, chopped, or 1 cup semi or bittersweet chocolate chips 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract INSTRUCTIONS Combine the butter, cream, sweeteners, cocoa, and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Simmer on low, stirring, for 3 to 5 more minutes after everything has melted. Remove from heat Stir in chopped chocolate or chocolate chips. Stir in vanilla. Hot fudge sauce keeps chilled in the fridge at least a month and often two. ...

September 17, 2024 · Travis