American

Ingredients 2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1" pieces 1 cup dill pickle juice 1 large egg 1 cup milk 1 cup flour 1 tbsp confectioners sugar 1 tsp paprika 1 tsp pepper 1 tsp salt Canola oil for frying (or other mild oils work too) Instructions Put chicken in bowl with pickle juice and let sit for a minimum of 1 hour. Overnight is even better Drain out the pickle juice. In a separate bowl, mix milk and egg, and then pour into chicken bowl In a new bowl add all dry spices, mix well. Heat up oil in a deep dish so it doesn’t splatter unduly Grab individual chicken pieces out of chicken bowl and dip well into dry bowl. Then throw in fryer for 3-3.5 minutes. Note the time, too short will be undercooked and too long turns the chicken too dry. You may need to experiment depending on your oil temperature Cook in batches and then serve with dipping sauces

Ingredients 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 1 medium yellow or white onion, chopped 2 carrots, peeled and chopped 4 garlic cloves, pressed or minced 2 teaspoons ground cumin 1 teaspoon curry powder 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme 1 large can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, lightly drained 1 cup brown or green lentils, picked over and rinsed 4 cups vegetable broth 2 cups water 1 teaspoon salt, more to taste Pinch of red pepper flakes Freshly ground black pepper, to taste 1 cup chopped fresh collard greens or kale, tough ribs removed 1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice (1/2 to 1 medium lemon), to taste Instructions Warm the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium heat Once the oil is shimmering, add the chopped onion and carrot and cook, stirring often, until the onion has softened and is turning translucent, about 5 minutes Add the garlic, cumin, curry powder and thyme. Cook until fragrant while stirring constantly, about 30 seconds. Pour in the drained diced tomatoes and cook for a few more minutes, stirring often Pour in the lentils, broth and the water. Add 1 teaspoon salt and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Season generously with freshly ground black pepper. Raise heat and bring the mixture to a boil, then partially cover the pot and reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the lentils are tender but still hold their shape Transfer 2 cups of the soup to a blender. Securely fasten the lid, protect your hand from steam with a tea towel placed over the lid, and puree the soup until smooth. Pour the pureed soup back into the pot. (Or, use an immersion blender to blend a portion of the soup.) Add the chopped greens and cook for 5 more minutes, or until the greens have softened to your liking. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Taste and season with more salt, pepper and/or lemon juice until the flavors really sing. For spicier soup, add another pinch or two of red pepper flakes Serve while hot

Ingredients Potatoes (whole, unpeeled or peeled your choice) 8 cloves garlic, split usage Olive oil or any oil Butter Salt Garlic salt Black pepper Directions Get a decent sized pan with enough depth and line the bottom with potatoes (make sure only one layer and DO NOT stack). Fill the pan such that the water is just barely covering the potatoes. Add 4 cloves garlic whole minus shell of course. Add oil, salt, pepper (quantities here don’t matter much and can just be a little). Bring to simmer, cover and simmer for 40 minutes or until easily cut with knife while in water. Potatoes should be relatively soft for good mash. DO NOT DRAIN THE WATER!!!!! Using a skimmer remove the potatoes and place in large bowl. MAsh using fork and knife as you see fit. Then add a few tbsp butter, 4 minced garlic cloves, <1 tbsp garlic salt (depends on quantity of recipe), salt, black pepper and a quarter cup or less of water. Note: the water is the one thing you cannot take away or make up for if you add too much. Add it slowly and carefully along with other ingredients tasting it as you go until you get good consistency and flavor. Serve.

Ingredients 2-3 pounds chicken thighs (flexible on volume, how hungry are ya) 1/4 cup or more dijon mustard 2-3 tbsp honey OR maple syrup 1/4 cup water for sauce 1 tsp salt or more to taste 1/2 cup tarragon leaves (or basil if that is easier to find) Additional (optional) seasonings: garlic salt, pepper Instructions Put chicken in deep dish pan and preheat oven to 430°F Mix rest of ingredients together well in small dish Spread out on chicken in pan, add water so there is at least a half inch of water in pan (you do not want the chicken to dry out) Cover with tinfoil and bake for at minimum of an hour. Cooking it more will make it more tender and flaky which if there is time, reduce heat to 300°F at hour mark and cook another 1-2 hours Check periodically to make sure water has not evaporated and add more if needed Serve with veggies and a starch!

Ingredients Pigs n blanket basic: One 8 oz tube crescent rolls 1 12 oz (all beef) package mini cocktail wieners (little smokies work) (optional) 4 tbsp unsalted butter to drizzle over top before oven Chicago variant: Chopped dill pickles Toothpicks Chicago style relish Sport peppers Tomato, deseeded, diced Mustard Poppy seeds Instructions Preheat oven to 375°F (can use toaster oven if easier). Take a tiny sliver of crescent roll and wrap around each mini weiner. Arrange on baking tray and (optional) drizzle a bit of butter and salt. 12-15 min If just doing wieners, serve with spicy mustard dipping sauce For chicago variant, have all ingredients ready and arrange to each hot dog using toothpick to spear ingredients. Then top with relish, mustard and poppy seeds. Enjoy

Ingredients 3 pounds gold potatoes 4 hard boiled eggs 1 cup mayonnaise 1/4 cup buttermilk (or just milk in a pinch) 2 tbsp yellow mustard 2 dill pickles diced well Salt and pepper to taste 2 ribs celery sliced relatively small 1/4 cup red onion diced small Instructions Simmer potatoes for 20 minutes. Note: if you have potatoes that aren’t small or med, chop them in half before adding to pot. Large ones can take longer to boil Remove water from pan and return to stove under same simmer settings for 10-15 minutes to steam them (add a splash of water if they dry out completely) Optionally peel potatoes. I do not Make dressing: remove the yolk from the hard boiled eggs and mash in large bowl. Then chop the whites and add on top of them (do not mash the whites). Add rest of ingredients and stir well. Add a splash of pickle juice and stir well Chop the potatoes when done and add to the bowl you just made Let chill in the fridge. You can serve whenever but it is best if you let it chill and the flavors meld in the fridge for at least a couple hours or better overnight

Ingredients 1 lb peeled shrimp (can be frozen) 1 lb sliced andouille sausage 1 lb white fish (cod, tilapia, whatever) (can be frozen) 1 bundle of green onions, sliced small 1 bell pepper, diced 1 diced yellow onion 1-3 sticks celery, diced small 2 tbsp cajun seasoning (split usage) 1 tbsp or so tomato paste 1 can diced tomatoes drained (doesn’t have to be drained super well) 8 oz clam juice 4 cups seafood stock (kitchen basics is best, other stock can be substituted if necessary) 1-2 bay leaves 1-2 cups white rice cooked according to package directions Instructions In large pot, brown sausage with oil. After browned, remove sausage but LEAVE drippings Add more olive oil and cook all veggies until mostly soft. Add half cajun seasoning Add tomato paste and cook another minute stirring often Add diced tomatoes through bay leaves and bring to a simmer Add sausage back along with all fish. Add last half cajun seasoning. Add garlic salt and black pepper here to taste if desired (not required) Simmer for 20 minutes. Don’t overcook or the shrimp become rubbery! Serve over white rice

Fresh Greens 2 bunches of kale (or 8 cups), cut into 1/2" or shorter sections 4-5 cloves garlic, minced Olive oil Few tbsps red pepper flakes, salt, black pepper Instructions Fresh Greens: Heat oil and add garlic plus red pepper flakes. Saute for a minute or so. Then add kale as much as you can fit. Add more as it shrinks. Saute and add pepper/salt to taste until greens are limp and tender. Serve immediately as it does not stay warm long.

Ingredients 4 lb tomatoes (any type) 3 tbsp olive oil divided Salt and pepper to taste when called for 1 huge yellow onion, diced 7 cloves garlic minced 1 tsp smoked paprika 1-2 tsp red pepper flakes, or more to taste 4 cups vegetable broth (chicken broth works too) 1 cup loosely packed basil leaves chopped Optional toppings: parmesan, drizzle of olive oil or cream, sour cream, basil Serve with garlic bread, grilled ham/cheese sandwiches or crackers. ...

Ingredients Main boil: 1 12oz beer 6 qts water 4 bay leaves 0.75 cups old bay seasoning 1.5 tbsp paprika 1.5 tbsp cayenne (to taste) 1 tbsp black pepper (to taste) 1.5 tbsp thyme 2 sliced lemons 9 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed 2 medium onions, sliced 2 tbsp salt 2 lb small red potatoes, halved (or do other types of potatoes and cut appropriately to get that small size) 5 ears corn, cut into thirds 1 lb andouille sausage or more if less seafood, make serving size, 1-3 inch segments A bunch of seafood for example: 1.5 lb snow crab, 1 lb lobster tails, 1 lb mussels, 1 lb clams, 2 lb shrimp, etc. Make it equal ~6 pounds whatever you do Boil sauce: ...