Tag: chef recipes

Food & Beverage

BLUE CRAB ARANCINI

I hope you saved some of that risotto from the other day, because your gonna need it for this arancini! If you dont have any left over, or didnt make and you need the recipe, you can find it right here…blue crab risotto. The best part about this Italian street food is that if you dont like blue crab, you can make whatever kind of risotto you like, and stuff it with whatever you want.

Because risotto can be time consuming to make, I always make enough to have leftovers, just so I can make this. Once the risotto is already made, the rest of the ingredients you should already have on hand, so it doesnt require too much. I always like to have some sort of sauce for mine, and this simple pomodoro fits the bill nicely.

The crab in butter was just an added garnish, nothing to special about it. I had some left over crab, tossed in a pan with some butter and parsley and then seasoned it up. I think it made it more of a complete dish, than just a “street food snack”.

Hope you enjoy!!

Grocery Cart:

Day old risotto

1/2 cup of all purpose flour

4 TBL Bassetts Blends All Purpose Seasoning (split)

2 eggs (beaten)

1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

2 cups oil for frying

Directions:

First we need to heat 2 cups of oil (i used canola) to 375 degrees.

Next, grab your day old risotto, and using a 1 oz ice cream scoop, form little balls and place them on a baking sheet. Once you have made all the balls you will need, place them in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

While your little risotto balls are in the fridge, grab 3 mixing bowls. In the first bowl, add in 1/2 cup of all purpose flour and 2 TBL of my Bassetts Blends All Purpose seasoning. In bowl number 2, add 2 whole eggs and whisk together. Finally in bowl number 3, add in 1/2 cup of panko bread crumbs and 2 TBL of my Bassetts Blends All Purpose seasoning and mix together.

Now that you have your dredging station set, grab your ball from the fridge! First we are going to coat them in the seasoned flour. Then drop them in the egg. Next coat them in the panko mix.

Once all the balls are coated, gently place 2-3 of them at a time into the hot oil and fry. Use a spoon to baste them and get them all a nice golden brown color. They will need about 3-5 minutes to heat through and be crispy on the outside, and creamy on the inside.

After frying, place them on an cooling rack and immediately hit them with some flaky salt.

Until the next dish ya’ll!

Food & Beverage

CANDIACE CRAVINGS PT III: POT ROAST

Pot Roast?? In the middle of the summer? I have always felt this dish was just for fall and winter. When I posted the question, seems everyone likes it all year round…..especially my pregnant wife! Maybe I am just picky about what and when I eat certain foods. No judgement at all, this is just my personal preference.

I am definitely picky when it comes to my potatoes! I am not a fan of the whole (or halved) potatoes in this dish. I prefer to serve it over mashed potatoes. I think for the texture and overall presentation it is just better. But this is what is great about food. YOU can do whatever YOU like. A recipe is just a guide, feel free to adjust however you want.

Grocery Cart:

1 4# Chuck Roast

Bassetts Blends All Purpose HOT Seasoning

1 TBL Avocado Oil

3 stalks celery

1 medium yellow onion

1# baby carrots

1 packet Hidden Valley Ranch Dip

1 packet Lipton French Onion Soup miz

2 TBL Worcestershire Sauce

1 QT Beef Stock

2 TBL minced garlic

8-10 sprigs of fresh thyme

Scallions for garnish

1 TBL cornstarch

Directions:

First we are going to season our chuck roast with my Bassetts Blends All Purpose HOT seasoning, and 1 packet of Hidden Valley Ranch DIP, not the dressing. I dont know what the difference is, but they taste DIFFERENT. Make sure to get the roast seasoned on all sides and let rest for 10 minutes.

While the roast is resting, dice up 3 stalks of celery, and your medium yellow onion. Next in a heavy bottom skillet, add in the avocado oil.

Once the pan is hot add in the roast, sear for 3 minutes. After a good crust is formed from the sear, flip and cook on the other side for another 3 minutes.

After the roast has been seared, add it to your crock pot on the “high” setting. Then add in the celery, onions, carrots, thyme, french onion soup, worcestershire sauce, garlic, and beef stock. Put the lid on and cook on high for 1 hour, then reduce heat to low and cook for another 3, or until roast begins to fall apart.

Now that the roast is cooked and falling apart, remove it from the crock pot and place into a bowl. Scoop out the vegetables and place them in a separate bowl. Now strain the remaining juices from the crock pot into a sauce pan on high heat.

When the juices come to a boil, make a slurry using 1 TBL cornstarch and mixing it with water. Add the slurry to the sauce pan, give it a whisk, then reduce to desired thickness.

While the juices are reducing, use 2 forks and shred your roast. Add some of the juice to the roast to keep it moist

Serve and garnish with scallions

Food & Beverage

CANDIACE CRAVINGS PT II: MANGO AVOCADO SALAD

This has been a favorite salad of Candiace’s for quite dome time. The first time that she ever told that she wanted it, I was a little confused. The ingredients just weren’t working for me in my head. But, she asked for it….so she got it. To my surprise, I actually enjoyed it as well. It is really fresh, especially when the mangoes AND tomatoes are ripe!

Im not sure that this “qualifies” as a “craving” so much so as she just wanted me to make it! Either way, as we apporach the summer time, I’m sure you will enjoy this one as much as she does!

GROCERY CART:

1 ripe medium sized mango

2 large avocados

1/2 small red onion

1 cup grape tomatoes (sliced in half)

Fresh mozzarella

2 TBL Olive Oil

1 TBL Balsamic Glaze

2 TBL Cilantro (rough chop)

1 TBL Lemon Juice

Romaine Hearts

Salt & Pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

First we are going to need a large mixing bowl.

Next, we are going to dice up our mango, avocado, red onion, cilantro, and cut your grape tomatoes in half.

Add all of the above items to your mixing bowl, and then add in the juice of 1 lemon.

Next add in the olive oil

Season to taste with salt and pepper, then mix to combine thoroughly.

For plating, add some romaine leaves to your plate, add the salad on top, and fionally garnish with balsamic glaze

Food & Beverage

NO CREAM PASTA SERIES: FETTUCINE W/ TOMATOES, BURRATA, & CRIPSY GARLIC

Ok, I know I promised you all weeks ago that I was going to show that you DO NOT need to use heavy cream and cajun seasoning in EVERY pasta dish that you make. Well here is the first dish in that series.

Now, I did kinda cheated a bit using burrata cheeses. Burrata does have a little cream, called stracciatella that is injected into it when it is made. I just had to let ease you all of the heavy cream, while still giving creaminess. Just trust me on this one.

I actually came across this recipe while looking for some inspiration for some other project I am working on and saw this. I thought to myself, damn, this looks good, but I would change soooo many things about the way I made this. And so I did! Let me know what you think and if you would try this one!

#GROCERYCART

1 box pasta of choice ( I used Fettucine)

2 garlic cloves

10 oz grape tomatoes

4 oz romano cheese

4 oz Burrata cheese

8-10 good sized fresh basil leaves

2 oz goat cheese (optional)

2 TBL pistsachios

3 oz Olive Oil

Splash of red wine (optional)

Salt & Pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

In a large pot salt some water and bring to a boil for your pasta.

Next peel, and THINLY slice 2 garlic cloves, then using a medium sized skillet, on a medium heat, add in the olive oil. Slowly heat the oil, and then add in the sliced garlic cloves. Gently fry the garlic cloves until they become a nice caramel color. DO NOT burn them, or they will become bitter. Once you get the desired color, remove the cloves from the oil and set on a paper towel to dry.

Now, slice your tomatoes in half and add those to the same skillet that we used with the garlic cloves. Keep the oil in the pan, do not remove it. Season the tomatoes with a little salt. Once the tomatoes start to blister and get soft, deglaze the pan with some red wine. This step is optional and not required, but I think it adds more flavor.

Empty the skillet with the tomatoes, wine, oil into a blender. Add in the 4oz of burrata cheese, and then blend until smooth.

Next, in a food processor, add in the romano cheese, pistachios, and basil leaves. Blend this until combined.

Add the blended tomatoes and burrata back to the skillet and bring to a low simmer. Add in your pasta and finish cooking until al dente. If the sauce begins to thicken too much, add in a little pasta water to thin it out.

Check for seasoning and then plate up. Garnish the pasta with the fried garlic cloves, and romano/basil mixture!

Food & Beverage

HOT HONEY SALMON w/ CREAMY CHEDDAR GRITS

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Now this dish here…….WOW!! The amount of flavor this one has is just amazing. Now I know some of you have heat sensitivity, and thats ok, you can leave out the sauce. But for those of you that like to live on the edge, this dish is about to become a favorite!

Ive been posting to IG/TikTok for sometime now, with moderate success, but when this one hit 660k views I knew I had a hit on my hands, lol. Anyway, I dont want to gate-keep the recipes from you all, I just really hate writing them out. I appreciate all the support from everyone, so now its time to get over it and post them! Enjoy!!

GROCERY CART:

Salmon

Bassett Blends All Purpose Seasoning

Honey

Red Pepper Flakes

Instant Grits (I love the Wegmans brand)

Seafood Stock

Butter

Cream

Cheddar Cheese

Apple Cider Vinegar

DIRECTIONS:

First, make sure that your oven is preheated 400 degrees.

Next, pat your salmon totally dry, and season generously with my Bassetts Blends All Purpose HOT seasoning, or any seasoning of your choice.

Using a saute pan, add some avocado oil. Once the pan is hot, add in the salmon “presentation side” down. This is the side that did NOT have the skin on it. Sear for about 3 minutes until you have a nice color and crust on the salmon.

Next remove the salmon from the saute pan and place on an oven safe dish and bake until desired temperature. I love my salmon cooked to medium, about 145 degrees internal temperature. This will take about 5 – 7 minutes in the oven, but I always suggest using a thermometer to get it right.

Now its time for the hot honey sauce. Using that same saute pan that the salmon was cooked in, add in 1 cup of honey, 2 table spoons of apple cider vinegar, and 2-3 tablespoons of red chili flakes (adjust this to your heat sensitivity preferences).

Heat until the mixture begins to simmer, whisking occasionally. Once it comes to a simmer, reduce heat to a low and cook for about 5 minutes.

Remove from heat and strain out chili flakes. Drizzle over salmon and enjoy.

FOR THE GRITS (4servings):

4 cups seafood stock

1 cup water

1 cup instant grits

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

2 tablespoons butter

salt & pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Bring 4 cups of seafood stock, and 1 cup of water to a boil. Next whisk in the grits, and reduce heat to medium-low. Whisk the grits every 1-2 minutes for about 10 minutes. Next add in the heavy cream and butter and whisk some more. Finally, turn off the heat and mix in the cheese until thoroughly combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Food & Beverage

CANDIACE’S CRAVINGS: PORK CHOP W/ POMEGRANATE GLAZE

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Ok, so if you caught my reel/tik tok/youtube short, Candiace finally had a “craving” that she wanted me to cook for her. Usually its just stop and pick up some Olive Garden (spaghetti with meat sauce) on the way home from work. After working all day, she texted me that she wanted a pork chop with pomegranate glaze. Luckily the grocery store (Wegmans) is on the way home, so it was no big deal to stop. Yes, I was tired after working all day, and didnt really feel like or want to cook…..but she is pregnant with our child, and on some level, I probably owed for something dumb I had done during the week.

Anyway, for those of you that may be new here, or have forgotten since it has been so long since I posted here…I HATE the websites that have to write long ass stories when all you really want is the damn recipe……so here it is!

Grocery Cart:

Bone In Thick Cut Pork Chop

Bassetts Blends All Purpose HOT seasoning (or your favorite seasoning)

Pomegranate Juice

Sugar

Beef Stock

Butter

Salt & Pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

First, pat dry your pork chop(s) with a paper towel. Patting them dry removes any excess moisture that could cause the chop to not have good surface contact with the pan while searing. Once the chops are dry, generously season them with my Bassetts Blends All Purpose HOT seasoning on all sides.

Heat a skillet on medium high heat and add a little avocado oil. Once the pan is hot, add in the chops and let sit for 2-3 minutes, until a nice sear/crust is formed. After 2-3 minutes, flip and sear the second side for the same amount of time. Once chops are seared on both sides, place the skillet into the oven and cook to desired temperature. I cook my pork chops to a medium temperature which usually takes about 10-15 minutes depending on the thickness. I ALWAYS use a meat thermometer to ALWAYS get the right temperature. Why guess when the tools to get it right are readily available.

For the Pomegranate Glaze:

Using a sauce pan on medium high heat, add equal parts pomegranate juice and white sugar ( for this recipe i used 1/2 cup of each. Bring mixture to slow boil. Stir often to dissolve the sugar and reduce by 1/4.

Next add in about 2 ounces of beef stock

Finally finish with 2 tablespoons of cold butter, whisk together until smooth.

And that is it! A really easy and fast meal with a ton of flavor.

Food & Beverage

THE EASIEST, CRISPIEST, FLAKIEST CHICKEN POT PIE EVER!!!

Now I’ll be honest, I’ve never really been a big fan of Chicken Pot Pie. I dont even really like pie crust in general. Its hard and dry, and just not my thing. Now we are adding carrots and peas (I really do NOT like peas) to a pie crust. Chicken is boring to me as well, so this was just never a dish that I have enjoyed. Until, I came across this recipe. Something about it spoke to my soul, and I just had to give it try. Now I still left out the peas, you can certainly add them in if you like, have fun with the recipe, make it your own!

Grocery List:

1 Rotisserie Chicken, 1 can Cream of Mushroom, 1 can Cream of Chicken, 14oz bag of frozen veggies (I used a mix of carrots, broccoli, and cauliflower), 1 ready made pie crust, 1 package phyllo dough, melted butter, Bassett’s Blends All Purpose Seasoning, Bassett’s Blends All Purpose HOT Seasoning, fresh thyme, fresh rosemary

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

While the oven is preheating, begin to shred the chicken into thin pieces. Next, in a mixing bowl, add in the cream of mushroom and cream of chicken. Next you will add in the shredded chicken, followed by the frozen vegetables. Once all of those ingredients have been added, add in the fresh rosemary and thyme. Next season with your Bassett’s Blends (or seasoning of choice) to your desired taste/flavor/seasoning level.

Next remove your ready made pie crust from the freezer (if frozen) and bring to room temp. Stretch the pie crust across the bottom and sides of your baking dish of choice. Add your chicken mixture to the pie crust and spread out evenly.

Carefully and gently, lightly ball up small pieces of your phyllo dough and place them on top of the chicken mixture to create the top crust. Cover the top entirely with these little phyllo dough balls. Once the top is covered, using a pastry brush, lightly paint the phyllo dough with some melted butter.

Place the entire baking dish into your 425 degree oven and cook for about 25 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the dish is hot all the way through.

Once your pot pie has finished baking, remove from the oven and garnish with some more fresh thyme

Like I said earlier, I have never been a fan of chicken pot pie, but I really enjoyed making this version and the taste was great. Give it a try and let me know what you think of it!!