Food Wishes Video Recipes (2024)

As everyone knows, tomorrow is National Toasted MarshmallowDay, and while I’ve never done an actual toasted marshmallow video (becausethat would be ridiculous), I do have something even better to celebrate with...this s’more ice cream pie! Not only is this very easy to make, and a provencrowd-pleaser, but just think of all the money you’ll save on sticks. Follow this link to read the original post. Enjoy!

Some recipes just shouldn’t be translated to English. It’snot that telling your guests they’re having “co*ck with Wine,” sounds so bad,it’s just that after dinner I want them tweeting about how great the dish tasted, not how funny/inappropriate the name was.

The other issue wouldbe one of false advertising, since I have no idea where you get an old roosterthese days. I like to use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs instead, which Ithink work perfectly here. Like all braised dishes, tougher cuts with lots ofconnective tissue work best, and on a chicken that would be the thigh/legsection.

Of course, someone will ask if they can use chicken breasts,and technically you can, but please don’t. They just will not add that stickygoodness to the braising liquid that the thighs will.

This really is a simple recipe, and all gets done in onepan, but there are several steps, as you build up fond after fond. Before anywine or stock hits the pan, we want a thick, gorgeous layer of caramelization,which is where much of this recipe’s flavor comes from.

I don’t want to sound co*cky, but this really was delicious, andas I say in the video, the mushroom, bacon, and onion mixture alone is worthmaking this for. I hope you give it a try soon. And please, use the Frenchname. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 2 large portions:
8 oz sliced bacon

6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

salt and pepper to taste

*note: after cooking bacon and browning chicken, discard allbut 1 tbsp of the fat before cooking the vegetables

2 shallots, sliced

1/2 large yellow onion, diced (traditionally they use pearl onions)

10 large button mushrooms, quartered

2 tsp butter

2 tsp flour

1 1/2 cups red wine

1 cup chicken broth

6 springs thyme

- Braise for about 1 hour 375, or until the thighs aretender

During the Great Depression, sandwiches weren’t quite whatthey are today. Forget about choice of aioli, or did you want roast tri tip or smokedturkey; back then it was more like, “Did you want cucumbers in your sandwich,or nothing in your sandwich?” Okay, cucumbers it is.

At the end of summer, the excess "cuc" crop was sliced, salted,pickled, and put up in jars for the cold, lean months ahead. If you thought summerDepression-era sandwiches sucked, it was much worse in winter, when youcouldn’t even find a bland vegetable to slap between your slices of butteredbread.

I can just imagine what a treat it must have been to fill asandwich with these sweet crunchy coins, or "bread and butter pickles," as they came to be known. I’m sure it was a wonderful break fromwhat must have been a fairly flavorless existence. Happily, times are a bitbetter now, and we only make these because they taste really good.

So, make a batch, experience a little piece of Americanculinary history, and as you’re tossing them on that burger, think back to whatthose days must have been like. I mean, especially with no YouTube! I hope yougive these bread & butter pickles atry soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for about 2 pints:
2 lbs pickling or other firm, little cucumbers

1/2 yellow onion, sliced

2 red jalapeno pepper, sliced

3 tbsp kosher salt

2 cups sugar

2 cups white distilled vinegar

1/4 cup water

1 tbsp mustard seeds

1 teaspoon celery seeds

1/8 tsp ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1 tsp black peppercorns
2 cloves garlic, sliced

We are right in the middle of peach season, and what betterway to show them off, than in this classic, lattice-top pie? And by classic, Imean the peek-a-boo crust design, not the filling, which has a few ingredientsthat are definitely not classic.

By the way, if you’re peaches are too ripe to peel, then youcan remove the skin by cutting an “X” on the bottom and dipping in boilingwater. Of course, if they’re really ripe and juicy, you probably shouldn’t bemaking pie with them anyway. Those are the kind of peaches where you take offyour shirt and just eat them over the sink.

Ingredients for One 10-inch Pie:

about 3 pounds fresh peaches, peeled and sliced (about 2 lbs12 oz once trimmed)

1 cup white sugar, divided

tiny pinch of salt

1/4 cup flour

1 tbsp cornstarch

pinch of cayenne

1 tsp lemon juice

pinch of cinnamon

- Bake at 350 F. until browned and bubbling. Mine took about1 hour 15 minutes, but I peek a lot)

I saw this technique on the Huffington Post a while back,and while it wasn’t the first time I’d seen, or used the micro-method, it was thefirst time I’d seen it in video form, thanks to the lovely and talented, Carl Blemming. By the way, I’m assuming Huff Po didn’t pay him anything for it, so to makeup for that, neither will we.

This proves something that I’ve known for years…no matterhow great a kitchen technique is, unless you use it regularly, you’ll forgetabout it. Usually, as soon as I get home from the store, I shuck the corn, andgo from there, but as soon as I saw that ear go into Carl’s microwave, it allcame back. Now I can forget about it all over again.

I’ve heard through the grapevine that some other foodchannels have also published this “hack” recently, but since I don’t watchanyone else, I can’t confirm those reports, but I couldn't have been the only one. The point is, it works.It works perfectly, and I hope you give it a try soon. Enjoy!

I’ve never been a big fan of panzanella salad. I love theflavors in the dish, but stale, soggy bread just isn’t something I crave. Thesogginess is understandable, as this dish was invented as a way to ingestrock-hard bread, but now that we’re just making it for fun, and not to avoidstarvation, we can tweak a few things for texture’s sake.

The key is frying the bread cubes in loads of olive oil, ina skillet, which obviously makes them crispy, but the healthful fat also soaksin and renders them semi-waterproof, or should I say dressing-proof. The samegoes for the dusting of Parmesan we apply halfway through.

You may be tempted to save some work and bake them in theoven, but don’t. By using the pan, you get nice, crispy surfaces, but the verycenter of the crouton stays just a touch chewy. The oven tends to dry the breadout, and you don’t get the same texture.

Having said that, it’s your “little swamp,” which is what“Panzanella” translates to, so throw in what you like. Speaking of which, I’mnot giving ingredient amounts. I’ll give a ratio, and maybe a recommendation ortwo, but this isn’t the kind of recipe where you should be washing measuring cupsand spoons. Taste and adust, and as always, enjoy!

Ingredients:

(I like equal parts bread cubes to tomato salad)

For the bread:

stale bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes, soaked well with oliveoil

enough finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano to cover bread

-- fry until crispy and browned

For the tomato salad:

cherry tomatoes, halved

salt and pepper to taste

pinch of sugar
a little minced garlic

equal parts red wine vinegar and olive oil, to dress generously (addenough to create a very “swampy” mixture)

freshly sliced basil

Okay, now all you broke college students can leave me alone (he said with a wink).This delicious orecchiette pasta recipe only has a handful of ingredients, isvery cheap to make, and probably most importantly, only uses one pan or pot forthe entire procedure.

Every year when it’s time to go back to school, I getinundated with requests from students to post recipes that are super easy, onlycost pennies, and require a bare minimum of kitchen equipment. This shouldwork.

And here’s a quick idea; the next time you're going out toget another tattoo, don't, and instead go buy something for your kitchen. Dothis every-other time, and you’ll eventually have a nicely stocked kitchen, andstill plenty of ink covering your body.

Anyway, back to the recipe! Cooking pasta in the pan withthe other ingredients lets it absorb more flavor, and the starch it releasescreates a very nice, rich, and comforting sauce. This does require you payingattention and constantly adjusting at the stove. You need to adjust your heatup and down, and also how much liquid you're putting in.

Speaking of liquid, only use stock or broth that’s homemadeand has no salt in it, or a very low-sodium packaged broth. If you start with aseasoned stock it will be way too salty to eat when you're done. Otherwise, youshould be in for an eye opening, or should I say ear opening, treat. I hope you give thisa try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 2 large or 4 small portions:
2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 onion, diced

8 ounces spicy Italian sausage

about 3 1/2 cups unsalted or low-sodium chicken broth

1 generous cup orecchiette pasta

salt to taste

2 large handfuls roughly chopped arugula or other greens (ifusing something like rapini, add earlier so it has time to cook through.

grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

Just a little warm weather reminder for a few of my personal favorite summer recipes. If I had to, I could survive exclusively on corn, tomatoes, BLT's, and strawberries...at least for 3 months. If something strikes your fancy, click on the title and away you go. Enjoy!

You may be wondering why I’m posting a Thanksgiving-themedvideo in the middle of summer. It’s a great question – I even annoyed myselfwith this way-too-early reminder of things to come – but I do have a greatexplanation.

As some of you may know, I write a quarterly article forAllrecipes Magazine, which requires producing the content months in advance,and this cranberry stuffed game hen recipe is going to be my item in theNovember issue. And yes, you should buy the magazine anyway.

If you’re cooking for a smaller group during the holidays,game hens are a fantastic way to downsize, without losing any of the specialoccasion feel. What we have is basically a miniaturized version of the traditionalholiday turkey, featuring an easy, walnut bread and dried cranberry stuffing.

As far as portioning goes, half a bird makes a nice serving,but I suggest doing one hen per person. I’m sorry, but regardless of bird-size,a holiday meal without leftovers is just not a holiday meal. So, whether you’relooking for a smaller, more manageable menu, or just want to feel bigger inproportion to your poultry, I hope you give these “micro turkeys” a try soon.Enjoy!

Ingredients for Cranberry & Walnut Stuffed Game Hens

(Makes 2 whole or 4 half portions)

2 whole game hens (about 1 1/4 pounds each), fully dressed,and seasoned with salt to taste

For the stuffing:

3 tbsp butter

1/4 cup minced shallots

2 tbsp chopped green onions

1/4 cup dried cranberries

1 cup chicken broth

2 cups toasted, crispy walnut bread cubes

1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme leaves

1/4 tsp dried sage

1 tsp freshly minced rosemary

1 large egg, beaten

For the sauce:

2 tbsp maple syrup

1/4 cup fresh cranberries

2/3 cup chicken broth

salt and pepper to taste

- Roast at 400 degrees F. oven for about an hour or untilthe internal temperature in the middle of the thigh is 160 F. Let rest, coveredloosely in foil for about 10 minutes, while the sauce is completed.

I just heard on CNN that today is National S'mores Day. I've never done an actual s'mores video, but we did do this delicious ice cream pie inspired by them. I'm not around a lot of campfires these days, but when do I get a craving, this frozen version does the trick. Follow this link if you want to check out the original post, and get ingredients. Enjoy!

This seared scallops on fresh corn “cream, ” shows that youcan take a few seasonal ingredients, put them together simply and quickly, andwith a little luck, and a very hot pan, produce something pretty special.

There are three keys to producing sufficiently seared scallops.First, they must be perfectly dry. Second, the oil goes on the cold scallops,not in the hot pan. Third, your pan mustbe extremely hot, which means you have to use a very heavy, cast iron orstainless steel pan.

That bit of brown caramelization on the edges of the scallopsmight not look like a big deal, but it is. It’s a huge deal, and makes atremendous difference in the final flavor. So, if you have the ways and means,I highly recommend you follow the procedure as shown.

As you’ll see, I used fresh white corn, but frozen will workin a pinch, although using that in August is almost a crime against nature, butlet your conscience be your guide. Also, frozen corn is almost always yellow,and I really prefer the color of the white corn here. In any case, I hope yougive this delicious, and very summery scallop dish a try soon. Enjoy!

For 4 first-course sized portions:

For the corn “cream":
2 ears white corn

2 tbsp butter

salt to taste

1 cup chicken broth or water

pinch of cayenne

For the scallops:

12 large scallops

2 tsp high-heat vegetable oil (like canola or grape seedoil)

1/2 tsp smoked paprika, or to taste

1 tsp kosher salt

1 red fresno chili, sliced thin (I glazed my pepper rings inthe hot pan with a slash of water, a small chunk of butter, and juice of 1/2lemon)
radish sprouts to garnish

With all the fancy, grilled summer meats flying around, it’seasy to forget about the side dishes. Nobody wants to spend hours in thekitchen, when they could be outside playing volleyball in jhorts, but with thiseasy bok choy rice, you can have something way more interesting in thesame time as it takes to make plain rice.

I believe we’ve covered this before, but yes, I’m cookingthe stems about 15 minutes more than is fashionable. I love a crisp stalk ofbok choy as much as the next guy, but here we kind of want it to melt into therice. Conventional wisdom says to cook quick, but I wanted a softer, sweeter, and more subtly sulfuric grain. Think braisedcabbage rolls if you’re still having a problem.

By the way, if your rice package says 2 parts water to 1part rice, ignore it. Too much water is the main reason people screw up rice. Ifind 1 1/2 cups of water to each cup of long grain rice works way better,especially in dishes like this. So, ignore those directions, and give thisdelicious side a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 portions:

1 1/2 cups cold water

1 cup long grain rice

1 large bok choy, separated, and sliced

1 tsp soy sauce, plus more to taste

1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil

1 tsp sambal chili sauce

toasted sesame seeds to garnish

I once heard Alton Brown say that a broiler is nothing morethan an upside-down gas grill, which is certainly not how most Americans thinkof theirs. While most people are fine melting cheese over their nachos with it,or browning a casserole, the broiler is seldom used to cook meats.

Well, the next time rain ruins your dream of a grilled chicken dinner, I hope you fire it up, and give this easy, alternativemethod a try. Not only are you gettingthe same intense, direct heat, but you also have more control, since you canadjust how far the chicken is from the flame. I prefer the meat about 7-8 inches under the heating element, but feel free to adjust as needed.

As you’ll see, I like to flip mine over every 6-7 minutesuntil it’s done. This should take between 30 and 40 minutes, but that can varygreatly depending on the size and temperature of you chicken, as well as yourbroiler’s heat.

By the way, you’ll want to finish with the skin side up, sothe bird gets a nice, crisp finish. This is important, especially if you’rerecording sound effects. I hope you give this simple and delicious broiledchicken a try soon. Enjoy!

For 2 portions:

3 pound chicken, cut in half, back bone removed

salt as needed

lemon and fresh herb to finish
- Broil on high for about 30-45 minutes, turning often, or until done.
*Note: Some glass baking dishes will shatter under a broiler, so unless you're sure yours is high-heat proof, a metal pan is a better bet.

Since we posted our burrata and tomato salad video, I've been hearing that many of you went out and found some of this amazing cheese, and are now totally hooked. That's great news, since the more popular it gets, the more expensive it will become. Hey... wait a minute.

Anyway, you're going to need other ways to enjoy your new addiction, and this very sexy fig brulee with burrata comes highly recommended. I can't think of a better quick summer dessert. If you'd like, you can check out the original post here, and as always, enjoy!

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with using a nice, freshmozzarella in your Caprese salad, but once or twice a summer, you simply musttreat yourself to the natural wonder that is burrata cheese.

Comparing mozzarella and burrata is a little unfair, asburrata is significantly richer and creamier. It’s not like comparing applesand oranges; it’s more like apples and supermodels. In fact, burrata means“buttered,” which is really all you need to know.

Like I said in the video, if you do use burrata, please tryit “as is,” before pouring over any vinegar. The subtle sweetness of thismildly tangy cheese is a delicate flower; so don’t crush it with a heavy hand.

Burrata used to be a specialty item, but I now see it nextto the fresh mozzarella at all of your nicer grocery stores. While it will costa little more, and may take a drive across town to find, I believe you'll find theextra effort well worth it. I hope you give this a try soon...before it snows. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 1 serving:

1 perfect vine-ripened tomato (don’t even bother using asupermarket tomato!)

4-6 tablespoons burrata cheese, or fresh mozzeralla

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

flaky sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, and torn basil totaste