Chef Inspired Recipes

My first cooking experiences came out of the Betty Crocker cookbook. That big red piece of American culinary wisdom. I made waffles (many times), chocolate chip cookies, and even popovers out of there as a kid. They honestly were all great. As I got older…

Teriyaki sauce. Rumor has it there are roots in the PNW with our Japanese friends who emigrated to this part of the USA. Not sure if true (may look it up later) but what I DO KNOW is that we love it. Quick memory of…

One of my favorite members of the lettuce family is arugula. Light, peppery, a touch bitter and has a freshness to it that livens up every salad. I have spoken of my buddy (not really) Jamie Oliver a few times. One of his first cookbooks I…

A French term most often used in reference to a square or rectangular-shaped serving of food. The term “pavé” translates as “little pavers” or “cobblestone.” The pavé probably also has roots in the gratin, that dish your mother or grandmother or aunt would bring to…

Condiments. Some classic. Some random. Probably always rooted in ritual. Like I had mentioned before, my pal Phil and I decided to take on this task for you, God, and country.  You might remember our first conversation where we debated the stacking effect, how one…

If you have been following, Phil and I have been doing the heavy lifting for you this month in the burger debate that I am sure you are all having somewhere or at some time. Last week we discussed the stacking effect. We covered the…

One of the newish burger shops to make a name in our country is Shake Shack. They finally made it out to Seattle with one restaurant now opened and I believe two more scheduled to soon be opened. Here in the PNW, like so many…

Let’s face it, burgers bring people together. From backyard barbecues to drive-ins. Big cities to small rural towns. Burger joints and eating a great hamburger have been at the center of communities and families for dozens of years. Your dad and grandfather’s memories of a…

I have probably been making semi decent wings for almost 20 years so I figure since I have made them enough, I can probably write about them. Maybe I passed some sort of test? I don’t really know. I do know though that there are…

One of the meals that is on the regular weeknight circuit is my riff on a dish from a big corporate restaurant, P.F. Changs. They make these lovely lettuce wraps that we have decided to turn into “Asian” tacos for our Taco Tuesday, just to…