Jump to recipe directions

In this current economy, it is important that you expand your arsenal. A great example of that is ribs. Large cuts in general tend to scare people away, but I promise you that you are more than capable of cooking with ingredients you’ve never used before. Let's use this recipe as the perfect example of just how much you can do at home.

St. Louis style ribs tend to be very affordable. Also, they tend to be on sale frequently, at least in my neck of the woods. Making a great rack of ribs does not necessarily mean standing by a smoker for 12 hours, using the perfect temperature, the perfect rub… It just means seasoning it well, cooking it low and slow and adding a couple of tricks along the way.

That's why we throw these in double wrapped at 275 for about 3.5 hours and let the oven do all the work. The prep for this recipe takes all of 10 minutes and the finish takes about 5 and it consists of putting bbq sauce on your ribs and broiling them.

I’m so excited to share this one with you as a BBQ snob myself, because they stand up to plenty of ribs that I’ve eaten in my life. Hopefully this can serve as a reminder to all of you…

You can do way more than you think!

Estimated Time: 3.5-5 hours (10 minutes of prep. 5-10 minutes of work at the end… the rest is cook time)

Serves: 4-6 (depending on size of rack)

Ingredients:

• 1 rack St. Louis-style pork ribs (2½–3½ lbs)

• 2 tbsp yellow mustard

• 2 tbsp brown sugar

• 2 tsp smoked paprika

• 1½ tsp garlic powder

• 1 tsp onion powder

• 1½ tsp kosher salt

• 1 tsp black pepper

• ½ tsp chili powder

• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper

• 3 tbsp water

• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

• ¾ cup BBQ sauce

• 1½ tbsp brown sugar

• 1½ tsp apple cider vinegar

From here, you’ll get the full directions, complete with helpful tricks and techniques to make you dangerous in the kitchen. Subscribe and let’s get to work.

Read more

Jump to recipe directions

It’s that time of year. Temperatures are getting cooler, leaves are turning color, football's on TV. It means it’s officially time for comfort food and soups. This dish is a little bit of both.

Chicken and dumplings is quite possibly the most comforting dish on the planet. The broth is hearty and delicious and those big, soft dough balls are like a hug in your stomach. Yes, I said it.

Not to mention, it is an extremely affordable recipe. It uses some of the cheapest ingredients in the store and a quick homemade dough for our dumplings, keeping the cost at a minimum. Why I love dishes like this is because of how hearty they are. High volume and filling means that a little bit goes a long way. This recipe says it feeds 4-6 but honestly, I think you will have some leftovers because of how much it sticks to your ribs (in a good way).

So grab your favorite sweater, throw football on the TV and let's make one of the all-time comfort classics, and let's save some damn money while we do it.

Estimated Time: 45-60 min

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

• 1½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 3 tbsp butter

• 1 medium yellow onion, diced

• 2 carrots, diced

• 2 celery stalks, diced

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• ¼ cup all-purpose flour

• 5 cups water OR 5 cups chicken broth

• 4-5 chicken bouillon cubes (if you dont use chicken broth)

• ½ cup milk

• 1 tsp dried thyme

• ½ tsp dried parsley

• Salt and black pepper, to taste

Dumplings:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 tbsp baking powder

• ½ tsp salt

• 2 tbsp butter, melted

• ¾ cup milk

From here, you’ll get the full directions, complete with helpful tricks and techniques that turn a simple recipe into a skill you’ll use forever. Subscribe and let’s get to work.

Read more

Jump to recipe directions

Look, I’m not going to sugarcoat anything. Prices are continuously going up, and it’s been made very clear by those in charge that high prices are not a priority. As a matter of fact, affordability is not even being addressed. It’s going to take some smart thinking, planning, and learning some new things in the kitchen to keep those grocery bills down.

This recipe is the epitome of all of those things. First off, we shopped at Aldi to save money. If you don’t have an Aldi, do your best to try and find a budget grocery store near you to help save more. We are also just keeping it simple. Remember, simple doesn’t mean bland.

My favorite thing about this recipe is that it takes like 10 minutes of prep work. You just whisk some eggs, pour them in a baking dish, flatten some sausage and toast some muffins and boom. You’re finished.

The most important thing about these: if you aren't planning on eating them within that same week, store them properly. When they are finished cooking, let everything cool to room temperature before you wrap it. When you do wrap it, first use parchment paper, then foil, then put them in a freezer Ziploc and freeze them for up to 3 months.

Estimated Time: 45-60 min

Makes: 12 sandwiches

Ingredients:

• 12 eggs

• Sliced American cheese

• 12 English muffins

• 16 oz breakfast sausage

• Paprika

• Salt and pepper

• 1 tbsp melted butter

• 1/3 cup of milk

• Parchment paper

• Foil

• Freezer bags

From here, you’ll get the full directions, complete with helpful tricks and techniques to make you dangerous in the kitchen. Subscribe and let’s get to work.

Read more

Jump to recipe directions

If you’ve followed me for a while, then you know one of my favorite things to do is show you how easy bread can be. The “baking is a science” myth keeps so many people from attempting to bake their own loaf.

Don’t get me wrong, there are levels to this whole thing. I am certainly not disparaging artisan bakers or professionals. I could never do what they do. BUT! That does not mean that you and I can’t make an adequate, if not damn delicious, loaf of bread.

We’ve done 2-ingredient bread. 3-ingredient bread. 4-ingredient bread. No-knead. Pita.

Well, let’s add skillet bread to that mix. Think focaccia meets a dinner roll. Soft, pillowy, flavorful and EASY!

With prices being what they are, learning little things like this can go a long way. When you have some free time, just throw together a quick bread recipe to have something to snack on. Or if you are making a soup, chili, or just want a nice slice of bread to accompany dinner? Now you can do it yourself rather than waste the money at the store.

And yes, I know, a lot of bread is still fairly affordable. But this speaks to the overall message of what we are trying to accomplish. Self-sufficiency, saving when and where we can, and learning to do shit yourself.

Estimated Time: 2-2.5 hours (only about 10 minutes of actual labor)

Makes: 1 loaf

Ingredients:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour

• 2¼ tsp instant yeast

• 1½ tsp kosher salt

• 1½ cups warm water

• 2 tbsp olive oil, plus more for the skillet

• Flaky salt for the top

From here, you’ll get the full directions, complete with helpful tricks and techniques to make you dangerous in the kitchen. Subscribe and let’s get to work.

Read more

Jump to recipe directions

The more sheet pan recipes I do, the more I realize how versatile they are. I had seen someone do something similar to this in the past, and I thought it was time I did my own iteration of it.

The best part about this lasagna isn’t just that it takes a lot of the work out of making a lasagna… It’s that the entire thing turns into those delicious crispy edges. Let’s face it, the best part of a lasagna is that corner piece with those delicious crunchy ends. By doing it in a sheet pan, we get 360 degrees of crispy, crunchy deliciousness.

We also get to utilize my favorite cheap ingredient, sausage. Packed with its own spices that add a tremendous amount of flavor to the pre-made marinara, I personally prefer sausage over ground beef even if we’re not trying to save money.

This makes a ton of food for the whole fam and it tastes insane. I would argue that you may never make lasagna the same way again…

Estimated Time: 50 minutes (30-35 minutes of cook time)

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients:

• 1 lb Italian sausage (mild or hot)

• 1 jar (24 oz) marinara

• 1/3 cup water

• 2 boxes oven-ready/no-boil lasagna noodles

• 15 oz ricotta

• 1 egg

• 2 cups shredded mozzarella

• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan

• 3 garlic cloves minced

• 1/2 onion diced

• Italian seasoning

• Black pepper

From here, you’ll get the full directions, complete with helpful tricks and techniques that turn a simple recipe into a skill you’ll use forever. Subscribe and let’s get to work.

Read more

Jump to recipe directions

The crockpot has become one of my favorite cooking vessels. I used to not enjoy it because I thought it was a cop-out. Little did I know that you can create some serious flavor with minimal effort.

I’ve been craving some good, fresh Mexican food lately, and one of my favorite flavors is green chile and salsa verde. So we’re doing a mashup and adding them both together.

The bigger goal of this recipe is to show how much flavor you can pack into a dish without a ton of work. This recipe highlights some bright flavors with a punch of spice and acid to round it all out. The chicken cooks down perfectly, and after eating it? Honestly? I probably will make a burrito out of it next time.

My point is, you can do some pretty amazing things in the kitchen without price being a hinderance. Once you have a good grasp on flavor pairings, easy tricks to enhance your recipes, you can make a lot from a little.

Plus, now you know how to make a great salsa verde.

The ol’ 2-for-1.

Estimated Time: 4-7 hours (only about 10 minutes of prep)

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients:

• 2 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs

• 1 lb tomatillos, husked and rinsed

• 1 poblano pepper

• 2 jalapeños

• 3 cloves garlic

• 1 medium onion, halved

• Splash of water

• Handful of cilantro

• 1 tsp cumin

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• 1 can diced green chile

• 1 tsp onion powder

• 1 tsp oregano

• 1 tsp kosher salt

• 1/2 tsp black pepper

• 1 can cannellini beans or pinto, drained and rinsed

• Juice of 1 lime

• Cilantro, optional

• Shredded Monterey Jack or pepper jack, optional for serving

From here, you’ll get the full directions, complete with helpful tricks and techniques to make you dangerous in the kitchen. Subscribe and let’s get to work.

Read more

Jump to recipe directions

It’s chili season!

Only one problem. Most chili calls for beef and currently, having a hard time trusting ground beef (recalls, poor imported meats, questionable practices, and the cost) means beef is not on the shopping list for the time being.

But turkey is already a great substitute for a chili—and when you know the hacks to level it up, you may never use beef again. This recipe is a masterclass in using cheap tricks and hacks to bolster flavor, depth, and complexity. We utilize canned ingredients, tomato paste, toasting techniques, and other additions to elevate this chili to a level that will impress even you.

The goal with a recipe like this is to mimic time. Time is one ingredient that will make an average soup taste like liquid gold. A regular stew turned into a meal fit for the gods. The longer you simmer things, the better they tend to taste. The more time you allow things to toast, render, and sauté, the more flavor you pull from it.

But you don’t have to spend 10 hours to get the same effect. Toasting tomato paste, adobo, chipotle peppers, and beef bouillon will add a depth of flavor equivalent to something simmering for half a day.

A great chili doesn't necessarily need expensive ingredients. It needs patience, technique, and a little TLC.

All of which, you are capable of. So get ready to make the best chili you’ve ever made.

Est time: 3-5 hours (20-30 minutes of active labor)

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients:

• 2 lb ground turkey

• 1 large onion, grated

• 1 large carrot, grated

• 4 cloves garlic, grated

• 3-4 tbsp tomato paste

• 1–2 chipotle peppers in adobo, finely chopped

• 1 tbsp adobo sauce

• 1-2 tbsp chili powder

• 2 tsp cumin

• 1 tsp Smoked paprika

• 1 tsp Mexican oregano

• A dash of cinnamon

• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

• 1 beef bouillon cube

• 2 cups water

  • If it's too thick or you like it soupier, add 1/2 cup at a time.

  • If you long-simmer your chili, you may need to add more in as it goes.

• 15 oz can crushed tomatoes

• 15 oz can diced fire-roasted tomatoes

• 1 can pinto beans, drained + rinsed

• 1 can kidney beans, drained + rinsed

• Salt

• Black pepper

• Olive Oil

For Garnish:

• Greek Yogurt

• Sour Cream

• Chives, parsley or green onion

• Chips

• Shredded cheese

From here, you’ll get the full directions, complete with helpful tricks and techniques that turn a simple recipe into a skill you’ll use forever. Subscribe and let’s get to work.

Read more

Jump to recipe directions

If you haven’t felt the shift, I am currently aiming for the most bang for your buck with my recipes. I’m doing my damndest to maximize your dollar without sacrificing flavor. The good thing is, there are a lot of ways to make delicious food on a budget. So I’m revisiting some of the classics and revamping how we do them.

Chicken piccata is an Italian-American classic highlighting capers, lemon, butter and flavor. It is a simple favorite that hits the spot every time you have it. This recipe embodies all of the things you love about piccata but in a more cost-effective and efficient way.

The goal is to maintain a high standard of flavor while saving money and time. Guess what? Mission accomplished. This dish boasts a HUGE flavor profile and since we use chicken thighs (unless you're a big baby and can’t eat dark meat), orzo, broth and lemon which are all relatively cheap ingredients.

Are there ways to plus it up a bit? Sure, but I promise by keeping it simple I would argue it actually makes the dish better.

Sometimes (most of the time in my opinion) simple is better. Because simple doesn’t mean not complex, it means getting the most out of less.

Estimated Time: 30-45 min

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces

• 1½ tsp kosher salt, divided

• ½ tsp black pepper

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1½ cups dry orzo

• 3 cups chicken broth

• Zest of 1 lemon

• Juice of 1 lemon

• 2 tbsp capers, drained

• 2 tbsp butter

• ⅓ cup grated Parmesan

• 2 tbsp chopped parsley, optional

From here, you’ll get the full directions, complete with helpful tricks and techniques to make you dangerous in the kitchen. Subscribe and let’s get to work.

Read more

Jump to recipe directions

I’m not gonna sugar coat it. Prices are about to get worse. When the cost of diesel goes up, so does the rest of the world. It is required for transporting all goods, meats, produce, literally everything runs on diesel. So with it hitting record highs? Get ready for groceries to soar.

My job is not to be gentle with yous. It’s to make sure you are equipped and prepared to navigate these tough financial times to the best of your ability. It’s to give you not only the recipes, but the tools to save money literally anywhere you can. Yes, things are going to get tougher. But I promise you, you have the ability to do more than you think to help keep your costs down.

This recipe embodies that idea. An incredibly flavorful dish, complex, delicious yet super cheap and wildly simple to make. The homemade pita, which we have done before, is just a simple reminder that you can take those cheap pantry ingredients and do a lot with them.

I can’t improve the economy. I can’t directly impact prices. What I can do is show you what you CAN do in the meantime. So buckle up everyone, it's gonna get rocky.

But as always, let's lean on one another and get through this bullshit.

Estimated Time: 30-45 min

Serves: 4-6+

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground turkey

  • You can easily increase the volume of this by adding another lb of ground turkey. If you do, just double the spices.

• 2 cloves garlic, grated

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• 1 tsp onion powder

• 2 tsp paprika

• 1½ tsp cumin

• 1 tsp coriander

• ½ tsp dried oregano

• 1 tsp kosher salt

• ½ tsp black pepper

• 1 tbsp olive oil

Quick Homemade Pita:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 2 tsp baking powder

• 1 tsp kosher salt

• 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt

  • If it's overly dry, add a little more Greek yogurt.

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1-2 tbsp water as needed

Quick White Sauce:

• ½ cup plain Greek yogurt

• Juice of ½ lemon

• 1 small garlic clove, grated

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• ½ tsp kosher salt

• Splash of water

From here, you’ll get the full directions, complete with helpful tricks and techniques that turn a simple recipe into a skill you’ll use forever. Subscribe and let’s get to work.

Read more

Jump to recipe directions

Volume is something I discuss often. It is the difference between a mediocre budget recipe and a great one. Because high volume means we can eat it for longer. It means it makes MORE FOOD.

The best way to do this while saving money is by highlighting cheaper ingredients. Starches, veggies, low-cost ingredients that can go a long way. As far as our proteins go, pork is the cheapest you’re gonna buy.

It is overlooked far too often because people just aren’t familiar with it. You don’t or haven't cooked it much because you’ve probably cooked beef, chicken or fish. But pork is packed with flavor, nutrients and it is just so damn cheap.

Gas is about to skyrocket and food costs will continue to rise as a result, so we need some of the cheapest, biggest recipes we can think of. That’s where this pork comes in. By adding some cabbage, potatoes and carrots to a 2-4 lbs. pork shoulder, you are quite literally doing the most with less.

Oh, and it's damn delicious. Like shockingly so. Like I thought it was gonna be decent but I absolutely love this flavor profile.

Estimated Time: 5-8 hours (15 minutes of actual labor)

Serves: 10-12

Ingredients:

• 4 lb pork shoulder

• 3 lb potatoes, cut into big chunks

• 1 lb carrots, cut into large pieces

• 1 large onion

• 1 small head cabbage

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 3 tbsp Dijon mustard

• 3 tbsp brown sugar

  • 2 in the sauce, 1 as a rub for pork

• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

• ¾ cup chicken broth

• 1 tsp Smoked paprika

• Kosher salt

• Black pepper

From here, you’ll get the full directions, complete with helpful tricks and techniques to make you dangerous in the kitchen. Subscribe and let’s get to work.

Read more

Jump to recipe directions

This gameday series is a lot of fun. I love combining different cuisines into a mash-up fit for the masses. This one in particular just makes sense. Cheesesteak meets Italian beef with some giardiniera? Hell yeah.

The most important thing about this recipe? BUY THE CHEAPEST BEEF YOU CAN FIND! We are thin-slicing the shit out of whatever cut you get, so literally any beef will suffice. I suggest looking for chuck, top round, or London broil.

What I realized during this series, though, is that we don’t just need gameday bites, we need dinners as well. I will still be working in some appetizers here and there, but my goal is to make recipes that double as dinner and gameday treats.

These beef sandos can feed the whole family, or you can cut them up and serve them next Sunday during the game.

The only problem is…….

These might be better than cheesesteaks and Italian beefs……

Philly cheesesteak meets Chicago Italian beef: cheap shaved beef, Cooper Sharp, beef jus, and homemade long hot giardiniera.

est time: 45-60 min

makes: 6-10 sandwiches

Ingredients:

• 1½–2 lb cheapest beef roast you can find, preferably top round or bottom round

• 1 tbsp oil

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• ½ tsp black pepper

• Pinch red pepper flakes

• 1½ cups beef stock

• 1 tbsp Worcestershire

• 1 tsp red wine vinegar

• Salt and pep

• 8 oz Cooper Sharp

• 8 hoagie rolls (long rolls for the uninitiated)

Long hot giardiniera

• 4 long hots, finely chopped

• 1 celery stalk, finely chopped

• ½ cup cauliflower, finely chopped

• 1 small carrot, finely chopped

• 1 garlic clove, minced

• ½ cup white wine vinegar

  • Or red wine or apple cider, whatever vinegar youse got

• ½ cup olive oil

• ½ tsp oregano

• 1 tsp kosher salt

From here, you’ll get the full directions, complete with helpful tricks and techniques to make you dangerous in the kitchen. Subscribe and let’s get to work.

Read more

Jump to recipe directions

I think Italian food is my favorite cuisine to cook. If you couldn’t tell by my recipes… There is just something about the flavors and the process that really speak to my soul. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy making food from every region of the world. That is the only way to truly learn flavor pairings, techniques and more. But I seem to always come back to Italian food.

A big part of that is the low cost of pasta. It is the king of affordable dinners. It's high volume, filling and dirt cheap. That's what inspired these stuffed shells. Ricotta can be a bit pricey, but Aldi’s brand is still affordable.

It also utilizes one of MY personal favs, which is sausage. All the spices you need are mixed right into the meat and it is always affordable. Take your pick, sweet or spicy Italian sausage, cut open the casing, stuff them shells and dig in.

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients:

• 20–24 jumbo pasta shells

• 8 oz Italian sausage

• 15 oz ricotta

• 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella, divided

• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan

• 1 egg

• 1/2 cup pasta water

• 24 oz marinara sauce

• 1 tsp Italian seasoning

• 1/2 tsp garlic powder

• Salt and black pepper

• Chopped parsley or basil, optional

From here, you’ll get the full directions, complete with helpful tricks and techniques that turn a simple recipe into a skill you’ll use forever. Subscribe and let’s get to work.

Read more

Jump to recipe directions

Pizza dough is far more versatile than people give it credit for. Yes, it is obviously great when used for its most basic purpose… pizza. But there are so many different ways to use this delicious and affordable dough.

This is a spin on a classic garlic knot. I dunno if those are universal or not, but in the Northeast, they are in every pizza shop. It is pizza dough, twisted and tied and basted with garlicky butter and baked to perfection. Throw in a side of marinara, and it's better than some pizzas.

Well, this is the best of both worlds. A cheesy, doughy, buttery, crispy, soft bite all in one. Plus, they are so easy to make. If you go back in the archives and make my “30 minute pizza dough” for this recipe, you can make it for LESS THAN $10!

Even if you use store-bought pizza dough, your price is gonna be low. Since pizza shops are now charging a second mortgage and the naming rights to your firstborn, making these at home seems like a no-brainer. Not to mention, the easy marinara we make on the side? That’s better than most pasta sauces.

Yeah, I said it.

Let’s get knotty.

Makes: 8-10 knots (serves 5-8 people)

Ingredients:

• 1 lb homemade pizza dough or storebought

• AP flour

• 1 1/2 cups shredded low-moisture mozzarella

• 3 oz pepperoni, about 24 slices

• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

• 1/2 tsp garlic powder

• 2 tbsp grated Parmesan

• 2 tbsp honey

Quick Marinara:

• 1 medium shallot minced

• 15 oz crushed tomatoes (buy the cheapest can you can find)

• 3-5 cloves minced garlic

• 2 tbsp tomato paste (toasted in the olive oil)

• Pinch of salt

• Dash of black pep

• Dash red pep flake

• Drizzle of honey or a shredded carrot or a pinch of sugar

  • This cuts down the acidity and makes a smooter sauce

• 2 basil leaves or 1 tsp of italian seasoning

Read more

Jump to recipe directions

Holy cow. I really did something with this one. The best part is this is minimal effort with maximum flavor. We took the classic hot chicken from Nashville and made it better. Warm, soft pretzels dipped in melty cheese with a pickle chip to break through the richness. I was not prepared for how delicious these were.

To the point that I ate all of them. In one sitting. Including all of the cheese whiz. Am I proud of it? Not really. Do I regret it? Absolutely not. I couldn’t stop. It has everything you want.

I know we prefer homemade around here, and I usually agree. But on game day sometimes we just want something quick and easy. This is the best of both worlds. We make our own Nashville hot sauce, our own delicious cheese whiz, and combine it with the cheapest tenders and pretzel bites you can find and you have a Super Bowl-worthy dish in 20 minutes.

Get ready to impress your friends at your next football party.

Estimated Time: 20-30 min

Serves: 10-20 (depending on how much each person eats. Its enough for 2 per person but easily expandable, just bake more chicken and pretzels)

Ingredients:

• 1 bag frozen soft pretzel bites

• 1 bag frozen crispy chicken tenders

• Pickles, optional

Nashville Hot Sauce:

• 4 tbsp butter

• 1 tbsp cayenne

• 1 tbsp brown sugar

• 1 tsp paprika

• 1/2 tsp garlic powder

• 1/2 tsp chili powder

• Pinch of salt

Homemade Whiz:

• 1 tbsp butter

• 1 tbsp flour

• 3/4 cup milk

• 1 1/2 cups shredded American or cheddar cheese

  • I use Cooper Sharp american slices and cut it into cubes.

    that works as well.

• 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard

• Pinch of salt

From here, you’ll get the full directions, complete with helpful tricks and techniques to make you dangerous in the kitchen. Subscribe and let’s get to work.

Read more

Jump to recipe directions

Simplicity over everything. That’s my motto. Good food doesn’t need a bunch of bells and whistles. It needs good flavors, done the right way. This recipe is exactly that. I wanted to keep it super simple so that you have something to throw together on a school night, after a long work day.

This dinner will not only feed your whole family with leftovers, but it is so quick to make that you can have it prepped and in the oven in literally 5 minutes. You can even prepare early and marinate the chicken the night before, and then all you have to do is throw it on the pan.

You can expect a lot more of these types of recipes as we get into the school year. I know so many of us have kids, work multiple jobs, and really don’t want to add on a 2-hour dinner to the end of our days.

So look no further than this quick and easy sheet pan dinner that might just become your kids' new favorite din din.

Est Time: 40 min. (35 min cook time)

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

• 1½ lbs boneless chicken thighs

  • Yes, you can use chicken breasts. Are you tired of me telling you to use dark meat yet? Too bad.

• 1½ lbs Yukon gold potatoes, chopped

  • You can honestly buy the cheapest potatoes available.

• 1 small onion, sliced

  • Again, cheap onion is all that matters.

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard

• 1 tbsp honey

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

• 1 tsp paprika

• Salt and pep

• Optional: lemon and parsley to finish

From here, you’ll get the full directions, complete with helpful tricks and techniques to make you dangerous in the kitchen. Subscribe and let’s get to work.

Read more

Jump to recipe directions

With our gameday series off and running, this buff chix dip is by far my favorite iteration I’ve ever had. We’re putting a little Philly spin on it with some Cooper Sharp and some crushed Herr’s chips on top. It’s creamy, spicy, all of your favorite notes of a buffalo chicken dip. With a twist.

Old Bay is one of those flavors that is delightful when used correctly. It’s a fine line between “oh that's delish” and “ew way too much Old Bay,” but when you hit that perfect ratio, it adds such a great flavor and depth to any dish.

I’ll be honest, this recipe came directly from trying to figure out a DC dish that Philly could do better since the Birds are playing the Commanders this week. All I could come up with was Chesapeake Bay… Old Bay… ok let's use Old Bay better than them.

Guess what? I did. This is a top-tier gameday app that will be gone before kickoff. Plus, it’s cheap as hell and it takes about 5 minutes of actual work.

Go Birds.

Estimated Time: 20-30 min

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients:

• 3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken

• 8 oz cream cheese, softened

• 1 cup shredded Cooper Sharp (sub white American here if you don't have it)

• 3/4 cup buffalo wing sauce

• 1/2 cup ranch

• 1-2 tsp Old Bay seasoning

• 1/2 tsp garlic powder

• 1/2 cup crushed Herr’s potato chips, for topping

• Extra Cooper Sharp and Old Bay, for finishing

From here, you’ll get the full directions, complete with helpful tricks and techniques that turn a simple recipe into a skill you’ll use forever. Subscribe and let’s get to work.

Read more

Jump to recipe directions

It’s finally football season and I am jonesin’ to see the Birds back on my screen. In honor of the 2027 Super Bowl Champs, we are kicking off the season with some cheesesteak sliders. I would argue that these are better than your favorite cheesesteak spot.

The trick is that we are going to do this the right way. From chopping the meat to the American cheese, these are as authentic as it gets. The best part about them is that we can use even the cheapest cuts of steak.

Top round, London broil, chuck, whatever you can find for the lowest cost? That’s what we’re rockin' with. Since we are cutting it as thin as humanly possible, the exact cut doesn't really matter. Of course ribeye would taste the best, but I promise you, if you follow this recipe to the T, it will be one of the best things you’ve eaten in a while regardless of cut.

So strap on your shoulder pads and grab some slider rolls and let's cook this shit.

Estimated Time: 30 min.

Makes: 12 sliders

Ingredients:

• 1.5-2 lbs steak (cheapest steak you can find)

• 12 count of slider rolls (King's Hawaiian is on sale frequently)

• 1 lb of white American cheese (Cooper Sharp if available)

• 1/2 cup of mayo

• 2 cherry peppers minced

• 1 tbsp cherry pepper brine

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• 1 large onion, diced

From here, you’ll get the full directions, complete with helpful tricks and techniques to make you dangerous in the kitchen. Subscribe and let’s get to work.

Read more

Jump to recipe directions

When I learned that I was going to have the chance to cook with one of my heroes, Alex Guarnaschelli, I immediately thought of what we should cook. The queen of Italian-American cooking… I had to learn how she does spaghetti and meatballs.

It’s crazy to me the different tips and tricks you can pick up just by watching someone else cook. Simple steps that I never thought to do. Spread your meat out on the bottom of your bowl to allow your seasoning to get on everything in the meatball, using curly parsley and even its stems to produce more moisture and secure a better ball… Watching her in her element taught me so much.

Not to mention… this sauce is wild. It is by far the most simple sauce I have ever made, and the flavor is outta this world. Just goes to show you that you don’t have to get all fancy to get good flavors.

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I did making it.

Estimated Time: 45 min

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

• Bushel of curly parsley

• 1/2 c breadcrumbs

• 1/2 lbs ground pork

• 1/2 lb ground beef (sub turkey if you can't find decent beef)

• 1 c Pecorino Romano, separated

• 3-4 tbsp tomato paste

• 2 large onions, diced

• 6 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 box of spaghetti or bucatini

• 2 tbsp italian seasoning

• 1 egg, beaten

• 1/3 c heavy cream

• 1/2 c water

• 1/2 c pasta water

From here, you’ll get the full directions, complete with helpful tricks and techniques to make you dangerous in the kitchen. Subscribe and let’s get to work.

Read more

Jump to recipe directions

Where do I begin?

What a special day.

I’ve been watching Iron Chef Alex Guarnaschelli, aka “ICAG”, on TV for over a decade. Growing up in Philly, I always had a soft spot for the way she spoke, her no BS approach to cooking. It felt like I was watching one of my friend's Italian mothers prepare dinner for her family.

Never in a million years did I think I would have the honor of sharing a kitchen with Alex. As many of you know, she was the judge on 100 Cooks, the Food Network show I was on. But a lot of you may not have known that she also follows my Substack.

We decided we would meet halfway in NYC (shoutout to the Institute of Culinary Education for supplying the kitchen) and throw down some affordable, delicious meals for you lovely animals.

Here is our first collab. A shepherd's pie. Stick to your ribs comfort with so much flavor at a reasonable cost.

Enjoy.

Estimated Time: 45-60 minutes

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients:

• 1 lbs of gold potatoes

• 1/2 lbs ground beef

• l/2 lbs ground pork

• 1 bag frozen peas

• 2 loose carrots

• 1 block of CHEAP cheddar cheese

• 2 onions, diced

• 3-5 cloves of minced garlic

• 1 tbsp ground mustard

• 1 tbsp smoked paprika

• 1-2 tbsp of Worcestershire

• 2 tbsp tomato paste, toasted

From here, you’ll get the full directions, complete with helpful tricks and techniques to make you dangerous in the kitchen. Subscribe and let’s get to work.

Read more

Jump to recipe directions

This is one of my favorite summer dinners in a pinch. The smokiness of that chipotle paired with the sweetness of the honey is a flavor combo that I will never get tired of.

Not to mention, sheet pan dinners are probably my favorite way to prepare dinner in a hurry. This one uses some little shortcuts to get that crispy exterior while still holding on to that juicy interior.

Now this brings me to my most important point when we are discussing roasting… So many people mess this part up almost every time. It’s not your fault btw, nobody has told you how to do it the right way. But from here on out? This is how we roast.

Spread your shit out on the pan with SPACE. Stop piling up all of your ingredients in the middle of the pan. Space allows for things to roast. Most (all) fresh ingredients contain a ton of moisture. If you pile them on top of one another, it just makes them steam instead of getting that true roast which is where all the flavor from that crispy exterior, all of the fat rendering out…

THAT is how you roast. And from this day forth, thou shalt roast accordingly.

Carry on, you animals.

Est Time: 45-60 min

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

• 1½ lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs, left whole

  • (yes you can use chicken breasts instead….)

• 2-3 cups frozen corn

• 2 bell peppers, cut into big chunks

• 1 red onion, cut into wedges

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• Salt

• Black pepper

• Garlic powder

• ¼ cup honey

• Juice of 2 limes

• 1 chipotle pepper in adobo, minced

• 1 tbsp adobo sauce

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 tbsp soy sauce

From here, you’ll get the full directions, complete with helpful tricks and techniques to make you dangerous in the kitchen. Subscribe and let’s get to work.

Read more