I love salmon. Raw, baked, grilled, seared, no matter how you make it, I enjoy it. A good piece of salmon takes on whatever flavors you cook it with, but it has its own mild flavor as well. This beautiful, fatty fish is packed with nutrients and is the perfect protein for any meal.

This particular recipe is all about texture. And texture is important when discussing cooking techniques. Eating is about so much more than flavor. The experience overall involves smell, taste, feel and even visuals. Ever heard you eat with your eyes? Well, it’s the truth.

But back to my point, this bad boy is about texture. Creating that nice, crispy crust on the exterior but keeping the inside soft makes for a wonderful bite. It is the perfect combination. On top of that, the sweet of the honey with the saltiness of the fish just highlights the flavors of this dish.

This is a great recipe to practice flavor pairings as well. The more you can learn about what ingredients complement each other, the more you can experiment with some of your classic recipes. That’s where greatness is born.

If you have a simple go-to recipe you make often, try using what you’ve learned here to improve upon it. Add a little something here or a little something there and see if you don’t come up with something amazing.

And yes, you get all of that knowledge just from cooking this simple, delicious crispy salmon bowl.

You’re welcome.

Estimated Time: 30 min

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 1 lb salmon cubed

Marinade:

• ¼ cup soy sauce

• 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar

• 1 tsp sesame oil

• 1 tsp Dijon

• 1 tbsp hot honey or regular honey

• 1 tsp fresh chili or dry chili flakes

• 1 green onion chopped

• 2 cloves garlic minced

• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

• 1 tsp fresh ginger shredded (optional)

• 1-2 tsp sriracha

Spicy mayo

• ½ cup mayo

• 2 tbsp sriracha

Bowl

• Rice

• ½ avocado sliced

• Sesame seed for garnish

• Optional veggies: broccoli, mushrooms, asparagus, carrot

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Prices are currently unreasonably high. It seems like every week we get more “breaking news” that the economy has gotten even shittier. I know most of us are feeling the impact. I just want you to know, I am here for you. I am more dedicated now than ever to helping you save money in the kitchen.

For the next 2 months or so, every recipe I make will be hyper-focused on affordability without sacrificing flavor. Thus the egg roll in a bowl to kick things off.

This recipe is a masterclass in affordable yet flavorful. Using some simple hacks and ingredients, we increase the overall volume of the recipe substantially without increasing the cost. Cabbage is the unsung hero here. Coming in at less than $2 per, cabbage just adds MORE to your meal.

Now I need you to also start growing up and being able to eat ground pork. The often forgotten ground meat option, ground pork remains your cheapest option. By combining stock (cheap), rice (cheap), pork (cheap), cabbage (cheap), carrots (cheap), you can make almost a week's worth of food for under $10.

Times are tough. It doesn’t mean your food needs to be.

Prepare to be wowed by this one.

Estimated Time: 4-6 hours (20 minutes of actual labor)

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground pork or chicken

• 1 large head green cabbage, sliced

• 1 bag shredded carrots or coleslaw mix

• 1 yellow onion, diced

• 5 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 cups uncooked rice

• 4 cups chicken broth

Sauce:

• 1/2 cup soy sauce

• 2 tbsp brown sugar

• 1 tbsp rice vinegar (can sub apple cider or white wine vinegar)

• Black pepper

• Chili flakes or sriracha if desired

• 1 tsp sesame oil (optional)

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When I started this page, it was just meant to show people that you can make great food without spending a ton of money. Thanks to all of you it’s turned into so much more than that. It’s a platform that helps thousands, a common ground for people to come to and share ideas, recipes and so much more. I may have started the 99% Cooking Club but make no mistake, YOU are the 99% Cooking Club.

Grateful for youse every day.

Here are your favorite recipes since we relaunched a few months ago:

Your favorite March recipes:

• One Pot Creamy Tomato Basil Pasta - No straining, no mess, just throw it all in one pot, bring it to a boil and boom. Dinner.

• French Onion Chicken with Orzo - Classic French Onion flavors. One pot. Easy, affordable, DELICIOUS.

• Smashburger with Homemade Shack Sauce - It’s like Shake Shack but significantly better. And cheaper. And better.

Your favorite April recipes:

• Enchilada Bowls - A healthy and hearty take on Enchiladas

• Blueberry Crumble - Your new favorite dessert without all the hassle

Your favorite May recipes:

• Recession Bread - Bread on a budget. Super easy, super delicious.

• Creamy Taco Rice Skillet - Taco night in one pot for under $10. You’re welcome.

• Crockpot Sticky Honey Garlic Chicken and Broccoli - Better than take-out with minimal effort.

A few things that make the 99% Cooking Club special:

• A brand new recipe database, with every recipe in the Club, organized to help you save time and money, faster.

• Cost estimates for every recipe.

• A ravenous chat where you hype and share your renditions of all our club recipes.

• A few new things coming soon…

…but most of all, what makes this club special is you. There’s no movement here without you. So let’s celebrate you.

Here are some of YOUR takes on the recipes:

…and many more here. Drop your creation if you haven’t already!

THIS is what the club is about. And we’re just getting started. Keep supporting one another, keep cooking and as always…

Mix the shit.

-Steel

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If you are from the Northeast, then it is engrained in your DNA to respect Italian food. There’s just something comforting about it. Growing up in Philly, we all have friends or family that throw down a feast for any occasion. Stopping by to say hi? Here's a lasagna. Need to drop something off? Well, they’re dropping it off with a casserole, and they won't take no for an answer.

Lasagnas are the best example of that. And who doesn’t love a good lasagna? It’s all your favorite pasta flavors, layered with melty cheese, gooey ricotta, and more parm than your doctor would recommend. My only issue is that making a good lasagna takes a bit of time. I also don’t always need all that food, and I hate being wasteful (lasagna does freeze well).

So I came up with another option. I’m sure most of you have seen a lasagna soup advertised somewhere. This is like that, just it tastes way better. Not to toot my own horn, but this bowl of soup has the essence of your nonna’s lasagna mixed with your favorite bowl of tomato soup. It's the perfect balance of cozy and comfort, and it will be your new favorite. Featuring a list full of cheap ingredients, this one is definitely a winner.

Estimated Time: 45 min

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

• 1 lb Italian sausage, beef, turkey, w/e

• 1 medium onion, diced

• 1 tbsp oil

• 4 cloves minced garlic

• 1 tbsp tomato paste

• 8 oz tomato sauce

• 28 oz diced tomatoes

• 4 cups beef broth

• 1 tsp Italian season

• 1 tsp s and p

• 5-6 lasagna sheets, broken into small pieces

• Fresh shredded mooz

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I have a special place in my heart for pasta. There is just something about it. It is all of my favorite things about eating all on the same plate. Packed flavors, wonderful textures, aromas to die for, endless proteins to pair it with. It is affordable yet decadent, accessible yet luxurious. Truly a gift from the gods to us. The best part about it is simply the cost. A box of pasta costs less than $1 in some stores. I have to mention, of course, that even pasta is feeling the effects of inflation. Due to tariffs imposed, we may see Italian pastas removed from the shelves entirely. It’s not happening yet and God I hope it doesn't because if you take away my Italian pasta I’m going to riot. But even dried goods are going up. The good news is it is still affordable overall. The best tip I can give you for saving money in the kitchen is just to get really, really good at making pasta. Learn new sauces, get comfortable in the techniques, try different pairings, classic recipes. The more confident you get with pasta, the more options you are going to have. It is one of, if not the most budget-friendly meal you can make. This recipe in particular is the perfect embodiment of that. The amount of flavor packed into each bite is to die for and if you shop this one right it can cost you less than $10 to feed everyone in your house. It’s all about the steps. Take the time to do them right. Build your flavors, taste it along the way and make sure you douse it in freshly shredded parm before you serve it.

Your tastebuds and your family members will thank you.

Estimated Time: 30 min

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

• 1 lb Spicy sausage

• Rigatoni mezzo (the smaller rigs)

• Olive oil

• 1 shallot grated

• 1/2 medium carrot grated

• 3 cloves garlic grated

• 2 tbsp tomato paste (toasted)

• 1 cup pasta water

• 28 oz crushed tomatoes

• 1 cup tomato sauce

• 1/4 cup of fresh parm (jk like way more)

• S and Pepper

• Basil leaves

• Parm rind

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One of my favorite kitchen hacks is 2-ingredient bread. Think naan or a flatbread, but we mix flour and Greek yogurt together and cook it in a pan for a couple minutes. Yes, it really is that easy. When I first heard about this bread, I was beyond skeptical. Surely it has to taste bad being that cheap and easy. It surely does not. It’s fluffy, soft, and the char from the pan gives it a lovely note. Now, when you are learning how to budget in your kitchen, this is the perfect example. Because a lot of cooking affordably means finding ways to substitute cheaper ingredients. For example, if you want to make a flatbread pizza, premade flatbreads from the store can be anywhere from $5-$10 or more. Now, what if you just made your own bread at home and did the same recipe?

That’s when you’re cooking with fire (figuratively speaking). When you become comfortable enough in the kitchen to start applying tricks you learned in other recipes to a different recipe, you are starting to really think about how you approach your meals.

My goal for you is simple. I want you to make good food and save money doing it. But the “method,” if you will, is that while you’re making my recipes, you will pick up different tools along the way. So much so that when you look back in a few months, a year, you don’t even realize all of the new techniques and hacks you're applying to your own cooking.

So get your flour and your Greek yogurt and let's mix the shit.

Estimated Time: 10 min

Makes: 4 flatbreads

Ingredients:

• 2 cup Self Rising Flour

• 1.5 cup Greek yogurt

Optional for finishing:

• Olive oil

• Garlic butter

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Pie rocks. I would be hard-pressed to find one person on the planet that doesn't enjoy at least 1 type of pie. And if they say they don't? They’re lying. The only issue with pie is I don’t get a lot of opportunities to EAT pie. It never seems to be on the menu. I’m fairly confident that most of the pie I’ve consumed in my life has been at some sort of holiday party or an event. So it’s time we made apple pie more accessible.

How? By cooking that shit in a skillet with pre-made pie crust. Just stack your ingredients together and voila, delicious homemade pie. This recipe is super easy to make, and when done correctly, it looks gorgeous. Can we also talk about how easy it is to transport? Not to a party or event. The whole point of this pie is that you can have it on any old weekday. But you can transport that shit right to your couch with a fork and dig in.

My goal with recipes like these is to expand your horizons. Meaning, I want you all to be aware of how many things you are actually capable of making. Lots of you probably have never even considered baking a pie. Now that you see just how easy it is, maybe you’ll give it a shot. Maybe once you taste how amazing it is, you’ll be more inclined to try some other dessert recipes. Confidence is so important if you want to be able to do more in the kitchen.

So consider this a confidence-building exercise in which you also get to eat pie. What could be better?

Estimated Time: 60 min (45 min bake time)

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients:

• 5 Granny Smith apples, peeled and thinly sliced

• 2 tbsp AP flour

• 1 stick of butter

• 1 cup brown sugar

• Pre-made pie crust (yes, we can make it at home, but pie crust is cheap, and the point of this recipe is its simplicity)

• Another 1/2 c sugar

• 2-3 tsp cinnamon

• 1 tbsp butter (in addition to the stick of butter)

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Personally, when I think of a warm night with family and friends, I always think of Italian food. I’m sure a lot of that has to do with growing up in the Northeast. I would imagine that everyone has their own version of that depending where they grew up. This recipe is the perfect embodiment of family dinner to me. It’s hearty, comforting, and it makes big portions.

As prices inevitably continue to climb, both food and gas, budgets are getting thinner and thinner. We certainly can’t control the world, but we can adapt. Dishes like chicken tetrazzini and other casseroles are going to give you the most bang for your buck. It makes a lot without spending a lot.

I can’t emphasize enough, however, that just because we ball on a budget, we do not sacrifice flavor. Affordable doesn’t mean cheap, and budget doesn’t mean bland. If you’ve followed me for long enough, you know I do everything in my power to not steer youse wrong.

Think of me sharing this recipe as me inviting all of you to family dinner. I’m forever grateful for all of you, and I truly welcome you into my family. And dammit, I’m gonna take care of my people.

Enjoy.

Estimated Time: 60-75 minutes

Serves: 9-12

Ingredients:

• Bag of frozen peas

• 1 rotisserie chicken, shredded

• 1 onion, diced

• tsp olive oil

• 5 tbsp of butter

• 1 lb sliced mushrooms

• pinch of salt

• dash of pepper

• 1 box of bucatini or linguine or spaghetti

• 1/2 cup of pasta water

• 5 cloves of garlic, minced

• 1/3 cup AP flour

• 3 c chicken broth juice from

• 1/2 lemon

• 2 c of half-and-half or whole milk

• 1/4 c fresh grated parm

• 1-2 c of shredded mozzarella

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Spaghetti and meatballs is one of the most classic dishes in the world. It’s the perfect combo of simplicity, flavor and affordability. Now, there are a million ways to do it. Different ways to make the sauce, different combinations of meat, different tips, tricks and secret ingredients. But when it comes down to it, there are certain steps that you should take regardless to ensure the maximum ball flavor, texture and consistency. Why I love this recipe so much is because it is very straightforward and features some great cooking fundamentals that ring true for many different recipes. This is a celebration of simplicity and taking the time to do things right. Browning your balls instead of baking them. Using the fat from your balls to build your sauce. Combining and building upon flavors so that the final product is a beautiful meld of all of your flavors in a smooth, coherent and delicious bite. I talk about the process a lot, the therapy that comes in the kitchen. I think that classic recipes like this embody that more than anything. There is connection to family members, childhood memories, maybe a movie (Lady and the Tramp comes to mind). Cooking is so much more than throwing shit on the stove and eating it. This recipe is proof of that.

Estimated Time: 45-60 minutes

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground beef (or a mixture of beef, veal and pork)

• 1 medium carrot, grated

• 1 medium shallot, grated

• 4 cloves garlic, grated

• Tsp onion powder

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• Tsp Italian seasoning

• Dash chili flake

• Dash black pepper

• Pinch of salt

• 1 box bucatini (better than spaghetti)

• 1/2 c bread crumb

• 1/4 c milk

• 1 egg, beaten

• 1/4 c fresh parm, grated

• 1 tbsp tomato paste

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Bread doesn’t have to be scary. In fact, it is much more doable than you think. My first-ever video was a 4-ingredient bread and it showed so many of you that you are capable of baking.

This is even easier than that. This quick loaf is light, fluffy, delicious and so simple to make. My goal is to always push boundaries and figure out ways to simplify things in an effort to save you money. And this bread is as affordable as it is tasty.

We need to get back to a time where making your own shit is the norm. We have all fallen victim to convenience. It’s convenient to buy bread. It’s convenient to order food on an app. But corporations took advantage of that. They justify higher prices because of a convenience charge.

The biggest pushback I get when I bring up new bread recipes is, “Well, bread is cheap.” Relatively speaking? It’s not. We shouldn’t be paying $5-$10 for a loaf of bread. And when you make concessions for $5, then you will make concessions for $10. It's a slippery slope.

So I implore you, do it yourself. It doesn't just save money. It tastes better too.

Estimated Time: 55 minutes

Makes: 1 loaf of bread

Ingredients:

• 2 cups AP flour

• 2 tbsp baking powder

• pinch of salt

• 1 3/4 cups of Greek yogurt

• 2 tbsp of melted butter or olive oil

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Chinese take-out is arguably one of the most universally liked foods in the U.S. We all have our favorite spots, and one of the benefits of enjoying Chinese take-out was how cost-effective it was. Was being the word to focus on. I went to one of my go-to spots recently, and they wanted $22 for an order of sesame chicken. At the time of making this video, it was $15 for that same order, which I thought even 15 bucks was absurd. But $22 for take-out? No thanks.

So I got to work on making my own version. Something that still scratches that take-out itch, but doesn't cost me an arm and a leg to make. The ketchup is actually what really hits the take-out note, believe it or not.

But the bigger point here? You are capable of making ALL OF THIS SHIT in your kitchen at home. There are very few things out there that are simply too difficult to do a homemade version. Sure, there are levels to cooking. I’m not saying you are versed in cooking a duck à l'orange at home (you probs could, but it is a different level of difficulty). But most of your favorite dishes that you order when you go out, you are more than capable of doing it yourself.

Prices aren’t coming down. Sorry. If anything, they’re gonna continue to go up. But we can adapt. We will not let them beat us, because the 99% never stops moving.

Now let's cook some damn chicken.

Estimated Time: 45 min

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

• 1-2 lbs of chicken cut into bite-sized pieces (breast, thighs, or strips, whatever is cheapest)

• 1/2 c flour

• 1/3 c cornstarch

• olive oil or cooking spray

• 1/4 c soy sauce

• 1 tbsp water

• 1 tbsp honey

• 1 tbsp sesame oil

• 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar

• 2 tbsp brown sugar

• 3 cloves of garlic, minced

• 2 tsp corn starch

• handful of chopped green onion

• 1 tbsp ketchup

• 1 tbsp sesame seeds

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It's a tale as old as time. Couple goes to chain restaurant for date night (Outback, Bennigan's, Texas Roadhouse). You sit down starving, scanning the menu, ready to order one of everything. Waiter comes by, takes your order. You’re counting the minutes until you get to dig in to your main course. But in the meantime… they offer you some bread. Just a little appetizer to tide you over. They give you a basket, but you only need one, right? … Right?

Fast forward 5 minutes and you’re asking for more bread. The side of cinnamon butter? Yeah, you licked that clean before your waiter even brought the drinks out. Your main course finally arrives and out of pride you attempt to at least eat half of it. And you fail. You get that to-go box of shame as you chastise yourself for overindulging ONCE AGAIN… on bread. The worst part is you still have one piece of bread remaining in that basket as you pack up the remains of your main course into your doggy bag… and you know damn well you're putting that extra piece of bread in there too.

Don’t worry, this is a judgement-free zone, because Lord knows I’ve been there too. And now you can ruin your appetite at home too! These homemade dinner rolls are exactly what you crave when you go out. So don’t cook anything for the main course tonight. Just have a bread dinner.

You’re welcome.

Estimated Time: 45 minutes

Makes: 8 rolls

Ingredients:

• 2.5 cups AP flour (preferably strained but not essential)

• 1 tbsp sugar

• 1 packet of instant yeast

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 cup of very warm milk

• 3 tbsp melted butter

• Extra flour for sprinkling your dough ball.

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You read that right. Garlic bread pizza. The best of both worlds all in one bite. We have entered an era where pizza has become a luxury. I'm fortunate to live in Philly where you can get a good slice pretty much wherever. I can avoid the Domino's, Pizza Hut and Papa John's of the world. No shade if that’s your only option. Trust me, I get it. You gotta do what you gotta do. I lived in Florida for a while which is completely void of any good pizza. I blame the water. But the fact about all of these places whether it's your local pizza shop or the Domino's down the street… the prices have become ridiculous. There are a lot of opportunities to get deals, like a BOGO, so I recommend keeping an eye out for those, but the basic prices have become ludicrous. And if you wanna add garlic bread to your order? Pfft, now you're paying $40 for one pie and a loaf of bread. Thanks Papa John… asshole.

The beauty of pizza is that you can replicate it yourself and you can do it damn near better than most places. In honor of the garlic bread-pizza combo order, I decided to just combine them. The most important part of this being the bread done correctly. The most common mistake when it comes to making good garlic bread is lack of butter. I know when you’re putting it all together and you wipe 1 stick of butter across bread, you think “that has to be enough.” You’re wrong. You need 1 stick PER SIDE. The reason for this is bread can get dry in the oven in a hurry. The best garlic breads have a wonderful contrast of soft and buttery to crispy and crunchy. You want that nice crust but you don't want to cut the inside of your mouth trying to chew it.

The solution is simple: more butter. Ironically this is a solution for many of life's problems. When in doubt, just add more butter.

Estimated Time: 30 min

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients:

• 2 sticks of softened butter (preferably unsalted so you can control the salt content)

• 1 tsp dry parsley

• 1 tsp chili flake

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• 1/4 cup shredded parm

• 5-7 minced cloves of garlic

• 1 Tsp salt

• Baguette or large loaf of bread cut long ways

• 1-2 cups of shredded mozzarella

• 1 pack of pepperonis or a whole pepperoni link cut in thin slices

• 1 tsp Olive oil

• 1 tsp black pepper

• 2-4 tbsps of pizza sauce

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My default dinner is taco meat. In some way, shape, or form. I’ve already shared with you my go-to recipe to make some simple taco meat, but there are lots of ways to doctor that up to make something better.

I was trying to think of a way to combine everything you like about Taco night into one pot so that you throw everything together, cook it, and boom, taco night in a bowl.

This is the perfect recipe to make on any weeknight, and it is one of the most cost-effective ones as well. Not only that, but it’s incredibly versatile. You can add black beans, jalapeño, chipotle peppers. Whatever your taste buds are craving, you can make this dish yours.

The further we get into this rough economy, the more important it is to have the ability to make a full meal for your family out of inexpensive ingredients. This is the best example of that.

It’s filling, practical, quick, easy, and straight-up delicious. Nobody’s ever left a good taco night with regrets other than eating too much. Well, it’s time that you learned how to do it all in one pan.

So grab your favorite taco seasoning, get a pan, and throw all the shit in there together. You won't believe how good it is.

You’re welcome.

Estimated Time: 45 min

Serves: 4-6

Tools:

• Large skillet or deep pan

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground beef (or turkey)

• 1 can of chipotle peppers in adobo

• 1 cup uncooked white rice

• 2 cups beef broth (or chicken broth)

• 1 packet taco seasoning

• ½ cup salsa or fresh chopped tomatoes

• 1 cup frozen corn

• ½ cup whole milk or heavy cream

• 1 cup shredded cheddar

• ½ small onion, diced

• Optional: 1 tsp red pepper flakes (if you like spicy)

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• Salt & pepper

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Ground beef costs too much money. It’s the simple fact of today. Beef costs are skyrocketing, and they are not coming down any time soon. That doesn’t mean we stop eating cheeseburgers. It means we pivot how we make them.

Ground chicken is still affordable (for now… check back in a month and we’ll be making pork burgers). Now, chicken burgers can be tricky. There is a fine line between undercooked, perfectly cooked, and dry as leather. But when you learn how to do it correctly, I would argue that you can make a chicken burger just as well as your favorite cheeseburger.

The important thing is both patience and attention to detail. When cooking a chicken burger, don't flip it 100 times. It needs to sit still on your pan to cook the side properly, and you only flip it ONE TIME. The more you flip it, the more juice you lose, and the drier it gets.

Now here's the secret ingredient… fat. Chicken is lean. Therefore, chicken burgers are lean. They desperately need fat. That’s where the egg yolk, mayo, bacon, and ranch come in. The addition of those into the meat takes it from below average to over the top.

So when burger night rolls around this week, make it a chicken burger.

You’ll thank me later.

Estimated Time: 20-30 min

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground chicken (not ground chicken breast)

• 1 egg yolk

• 1 tbsp mayo

• One medium shallot shaved

• 2 garlic cloves shaved

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• 1 tsp oregano

• 1 tsp paprika

• 1/2 tsp black pepper

• 2 tbsp of cheddar shredded

• 2 tbsp buffalo or hot sauce

• splash of Worcestershire sauce

• 1 tsp thyme and/or rosemary (OPTIONAL)

• 1 tsp bacon grease (OPTIONAL)

• 1/4 cup bread crumbs

• (salt and pepper to season patty)

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When you really break it down, most of us want the same options for dinner. Affordable, tasty, and most importantly… quick and easy. I’d argue that 95% of the population would defer to the faster recipes over the complicated ones, especially after a long day's work.

In the spirit of that, I came up with this incredible wrap. Inspired by my sister and her love of the flavor combo that is buffalo and Caesar, I just took it a step further.

But I wanted to do this as a speedy, weeknight dinner. A little indulgence that you can throw together in 10 minutes for you and the whole family without spending a ton of money. To do that, we utilize some pre-made options, and this is a very good method to employ if you are aiming to both save and expedite the dinner process.

The next time you’re at the grocery store, pay attention to some of the pre-made options. They are constantly running deals on their chicken tenders, rotisserie chickens, fried chicken, etc… You can take advantage of all of those options by using the pre-made stuff, combining it with fresh ingredients, and completely reimagining the entire meal.

The more comfortable you get in the kitchen and with flavor pairings, the more you will be able to riff on things like this. I know it seems silly to emphasize utility when talking about pre-cooked chicken, but it's a valid point. So once again, I urge you to try some new things in the kitchen!

What better way to do that than with these bold and beautiful flavors?

Estimated Time: 10 Min

Serves: 2-4

Tools:

• Pan or Skillet

Ingredients:

• 1 package fully cooked chicken tenders

• 2 large flour tortillas

• 1/3 cup buffalo sauce

• 2 cups chopped romaine

• 1/4 cup shaved or grated parmesan

• 1/2 cup crushed croutons

Buffalo Caesar Dressing:

• 1/4 cup mayo (can also use Greek yogurt)

• 3 tablespoons grated parm

• 1–2 tablespoons buffalo sauce (start light and go from there. We want it to be Caesar forward, not buffalo forward!)

• 1 tsp of anchovy paste or Worcestershire sauce

• 1 clove of garlic (grated)

• 2 teaspoons lemon juice

• Black pepper

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If you’re from the Northeast, then you probably love sausage and peppers. And if you don’t love sausage and peppers, it’s probably because you’ve been forced to eat too many sausage and peppers in your life. There’s just something comforting about it. The smells, the flavors, it just reminds me of a homey night in with family and friends.

But as somebody that loves it dearly, I do get tired of the same old S+P on a roll. S+P in a red sauce. All that jazz. It is such a great flavor pairing that there are so many more ways that we can prepare them. Most of you have probably already seen the one-pan sausage and peppers we did before. (If you haven’t, go back and try that one first.) That dish actually inspired me to continue exploring different recipes with those as the main attraction.

Thus, Cheesy Sausage and Pepper Orzo w/ Red Sauce was born. This dish is the perfect balance of flavor, comfort AND affordability. But there is so much more to this dish. What this shows you is how versatile ingredients are. That is a very important tool to have in your kitchen.

Unfortunately, the financial woes of the times aren’t going away anytime soon. So we are doomed to eat the same affordable ingredients more often than not. But you can do so much more with the same ingredients you’ve used 1000 times. Try messing with your recipes. Use the protein in a different dish. Change the flavors from Italian to Mexican or Mexican to Asian. You are so much more capable than you give yourself credit for, and yes, a sausage and pepper recipe really can highlight all of that.

So let this be your jumping-off point to start fiddling with your own recipes. Make some changes, make some adjustments and see what happens. Worst-case scenario, it may not taste great, but hey, that’s where growth happens.

Estimated Time: 30 min

Serves: 4-6

Tools:

• One pot

Ingredients:

• 1 lb Italian sausage

• 2 bell peppers, sliced

• 1 medium onion, sliced

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 cup dry orzo

• 1 cup chicken broth

• 28 oz crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce (one can)

• ½ cup heavy cream

• 1 cup shredded mozzarella

• ¼ cup grated parmesan

• 1 tsp Italian seasoning

• ½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

• Salt and pepper

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I’ll be honest, for the longest time I avoided Crockpot recipes. I’m not entirely sure why, especially considering every time I have a crockpot meal, I thoroughly enjoy it. But recently I’ve started to dabble in the Crockpot world, and I have come up with some pretty bangin’ recipes, if I do say so myself.

And what’s not to like about a Crockpot recipe? Toss it in, set it, and forget it. You leave the house with a pile of raw ingredients, and you come home to a wonderful smell and dinner ready to serve.

I think my discrepancy with crockpot meals was that they were all so similar. If you’ve had one, you’ve seemingly had them all. But then I started toying with some different recipes, and I learned that couldn’t be further from the truth. So my apologies, Crockpot, my apologies indeed.

In this current economy and just the overall pace of daily life now, cooking dinner at the end of each night can be a daunting task in and of itself. So take a breather and try this incredible recipe that nobody will believe you made in a crockpot.

Estimated Time: 4-6 hours

Serves: 4-6

Tools:

• Crockpot

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs chicken thighs or breasts (thighs are cheaper and more flavorful, so try to get over your aversion to dark meat and be a grown-up, please) (love you)

• ½ cup soy sauce

• ⅓ cup honey

• ¼ cup brown sugar

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• One yellow or sweet onion, sliced thin

• 1 tbsp rice vinegar (white wine or apple cider vinegar will work too)

• 1 tsp sesame oil

• 1 tbsp cornstarch + 2 tbsp water (THIS IS CALLED A CORN STARCH SLURRY! SEE BELOW)

• 1–2 cups carrots, sliced thin

• 1–2 cups broccoli florets

*Serve over white or Jasmine rice.

*Mix the corn starch and the water together in a small bowl.

This is a corn starch slurry, and it is the easiest way to thicken up this or any other sauce! Keep this one in your back pocket for other recipes!

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A day at the beach (or river or lake) can be completely derailed by poor snacking options. If you don’t have the correct snacks in your cooler, you might as well just not go. I think we can all agree that one of the best sandwiches in the world is a post-swimming sando. Coming out of the water or the pool, wrapping yourself in a towel, piling up some potato chips on top of the meat before crunching it all down with the top piece of bread… That sandwich lives permanently in my memories.

Well, I took that nostalgic feeling and I came up with one of the better sandos I’ve ever made. This sandwich hits all the flavor notes. Spicy from the mayo (you can make it with any peppers you like if you don't have long hots), the sweet from the roll, the mayo cools it all down and the cheese ties it all together. The perfect balance.

Also, sandwiches might be simple, but they are an art form. The best version of a simple sandwich is not an easy thing to do. It takes the perfect ratio of bread to meat to cheese to condiment. Too bready? Bad sando. Too wet? Bad sando. Too much meat? Bad sando. Make sure you get those ratios right!

The other great part of this recipe is the bread. Those Hawaiian rolls are on sale frequently. When you go to the store, keep an eye on them because you’ll be surprised how often they are BOGO or 50% off, etc.

So this summer when you wrap yourself in your towel and reach into the cooler for your beach snack, make sure this sandwich is in there.

You’re welcome.

Estimated Time: 20 min

Serves: 8-10

Ingredients:

• 12 King's Hawaiian rolls (or a similar bread)

• 1 lb of roast beef

• 6 slices of cheese of your choice

• ½ cup of mayo

• 1 diced long hot, shishito or pepper of your choice

• 2 tbsp of melted butter

• 1 tsp olive oil

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The Pyramids of Giza, The Hanging Gardens of Babylon, The Cheesy Gordita Crunch. Much like the other wonders of the world, the Cheesy Gordita Crunch is an absolute feat of human ingenuity. The soft flatbread contrasting with that crunchy taco shell. The perfect ratio of melted cheese to beef, and the most delicious condiment ever invented. Spicy Ranch.

I have consumed a ridiculous amount of these in my lifetime. So many that I can recite the ingredients off the top of my head. But over the years, Taco Bell caught on to the popularity and has consistently raised the price year in and year out.

Cheesy Gordita Crunches cost over $6.00 for ONE!

I will not stand for this. Every single person on Earth deserves to dine on this delicacy as they deem fit. Well, now you can.

This recipe allows you to make multiple Cheesy Gordita Crunches without breaking the bank. What used to be reserved for special occasions (yes, Taco Bell counts as a special occasion, show some respect) can now be any old weeknight.

The only issue is you’re going to want to make them too often.

But honestly? That’s a good problem to have.

Estimated Time: 30 min

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

• 1 lb 80/20 ground beef

• 1 Taco Bell taco seasoning packet

• Hard taco shells

• Flatbreads

• 1 block cheddar

• block pepper jack

• 1 head iceberg lettuce shredded

• 1 tsp corn starch

• 1 tsp cold water

• 3/4 cup of water

Spicy Ranch:

• 1/2 cup mayo

• 1/2 cup sour cream

• 1/4 cup whole milk

• 1 tbsp hot sauce

• 1/2 tsp onion powder

• 1/2 tsp garlic powder

• 1/2 tsp black pepper

• 1/2 tsp salt

• Dash cayenne

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