Chris Cooks
Mango Salsa That Isn't Like Eating a Fruit Salad
Chris Cooks
Mango Salsa That Isn't Like Eating a Fruit Salad
The first time you hear a song on the radio, you dig it. You want to hear it again. Every time the song comes on, you shout "I love this song!" and crank up the volume to fill your passenger-less car with sound. But as time passes, you hear the song more and more, which […]
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June 21, 2013
Recipes
Flank Steak and Blue Cheese Cauliflower Puree
Recipes
Flank Steak and Blue Cheese Cauliflower Puree
You know what my favorite thing is? When Jules says to me, "I would love to have _____ for dinner this week." That's usually when the cogs in my brain start grinding away, figuring out how to make the best possible version of whatever she asked for. This week, she wanted a cauliflower puree (she's […]
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June 19, 2013
Chris Cooks
Kitchen Stuff I Don't Want to Be Without
Chris Cooks
Kitchen Stuff I Don't Want to Be Without
Now before we get into cooking the really impressive stuff, we need to make sure you're properly equipped. I love browsing kitchen stores and looking at all the cool gadgets, but honestly, most of the cool new kitchen things are completely unnecessary. In my opinion, things like burger presses, egg slicers, and pans with nonstick […]
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June 17, 2013
Recipes
Grilled Romain Topped with Caesar Vinaigrette and Herbed Granola
Recipes
Grilled Romain Topped with Caesar Vinaigrette and Herbed Granola
In Wednesday's post I showed how to grill a hen, and I paired it with this salad. Grilled Caesar Salad isn't new, and it's sort of a trendy dish (perhaps in a bad way?). But there's something about it that I enjoy. A quick char on some of the leaves, mixed with the freshly washed […]
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June 14, 2013
Chris Cooks
How to Grill a Hen (Or Chicken or Whatever Kind of Bird)
Chris Cooks
How to Grill a Hen (Or Chicken or Whatever Kind of Bird)
I love cooking poultry on the grill, and my favorite poultry to grill, hands down, is the cornish game hen. You've seen them. Those small birds in their individual packages, frozen rock solid in the meat section of your grocery store. They're small enough to be manageable, large enough to feed 2 people, and take […]
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June 12, 2013
Recipes
Grilled Lemon Pepper Salmon (or, Salmon with Lemon and Pepper Sauce)
Recipes
Grilled Lemon Pepper Salmon (or, Salmon with Lemon and Pepper Sauce)
I've somehow morphed my blogging schedule into this weekly theme sorta thing. Not sure how that happened, but we're just running with it. This week - grilling in a less obvious way. Admit it, when you hear someone talk about "grilling," you automatically think about burgers and hot dogs. Maybe ribs and bratwurst. All of […]
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June 10, 2013
Recipes
Friggen Easy Summertime Drinks - Piña Colada
Recipes
Friggen Easy Summertime Drinks - Piña Colada
I'm all about saving the best for last. Sometimes that gets me in trouble, like on Thanksgiving when I decide to eat my ham last, but by the time I get to it I'm already bursting so I just force it down my throat because I'm determined to enjoy it, but I just end up […]
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June 7, 2013
Recipes
Friggen Easy Summertime Drinks - Apple Eye
Recipes
Friggen Easy Summertime Drinks - Apple Eye
While working as a quasi-bartender, people often asked what I'd recommend. Of course I always needed more information. If someone just came from the gym, I wasn't about to pour them a hot chocolate. But any time someone told me they were in the mood for something fresh, my recommendation was always the same - […]
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June 6, 2013
Recipes
Friggen Easy Summertime Drinks - Italian Cream Sodas
Recipes
Friggen Easy Summertime Drinks - Italian Cream Sodas
I've never met anyone who doesn't like Italian sodas. Who doesn't love going to an old-timey diner, sitting on a stool at the counter and ordering a burger, fries and raspberry Italian soda? It just makes you feel like a kid again, and if you're actually a kid, it just makes you feel important. I […]
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June 5, 2013
Recipes
Friggen Easy Summertime Drinks - Frozen Hot Chocolate
Recipes
Friggen Easy Summertime Drinks - Frozen Hot Chocolate
All right, Jules is out for the rest of the week and I'm hijacking this blog. You're all mine for the next 4 days, so buckle up. Little known fact about ol' Chris here, I worked as a bartender (no, I don't drink - it was a non-alcoholic bar and yes, I realize that doesn't […]
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June 4, 2013
Recipes
How to Grill Corn - Plus an Awesome Grilled Corn Salad
Recipes
How to Grill Corn - Plus an Awesome Grilled Corn Salad
I've been asked, not infrequently, how to grill corn. Unfortunately, the explanation is so long and intense that, unless I have a ton of spare time, I'm usually not able to explain it to them. Enter Blogsville. I can finally put it here, one time, and not have to go through hours and hours of […]
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May 31, 2013
Chris Cooks
Spice Up Your Life.
Chris Cooks
Spice Up Your Life.
When I posted this photo a few days ago, when I was discussing our incoming tile, I got a few questions about those jars hanging out under the cabinet on the left. Those are Chris's most used, favorite spices. The cabinet above them holds the rest--he has a lot of spices. We originally had a […]
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May 30, 2013
Recipes
Caprese Salad - It's Easy and Everyone Loves It
Recipes
Caprese Salad - It's Easy and Everyone Loves It
A man was living in Italy, doing some volunteer work. He had a particularly trying day and decided to visit a friend. The friend could immediately tell that this man had a rough day and asked the young volunteer to describe how he was feeling. The young man described his feelings of frustration, burnout and […]
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May 29, 2013
Recipes
My Favorite Broccoli Salad
Recipes
My Favorite Broccoli Salad
Heyo, e'rbody! It being Memorial Day, we're spending time as a family and enjoying the freedoms others have fought for. We feel so blessed to live where we do, and pray we don't take it for granted. We hope you're able to spend some time with family and friends, and maybe get together for a […]
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May 27, 2013
Recipes
Barbecued Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Recipes
Barbecued Chicken Lettuce Wraps
All right, here's a quick one for ya. And, as promised, it's a bit on the lighter side (as opposed to the ribs and chicken wings this week). Barbecued chicken lettuce wraps (enough for 2 people - multiply as needed). That's right, lettuce wraps don't have to be Asian. Let's go. I start with boneless, […]
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May 24, 2013
Recipes
Tender Barbecued Ribs, Made in the Oven
Recipes
Tender Barbecued Ribs, Made in the Oven
These are not the world's greatest ribs. Is that a strange way to start? Let me explain. I'm convinced that the best way to cook ribs is for about 3 hours at 225 in a smoker (depending on the type of rib, with a proper rub and stuff). Do I own a smoker? You bet […]
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May 22, 2013
Recipes
Barbecued Baked Chicken Wings
Recipes
Barbecued Baked Chicken Wings
About 3 years ago I was in training at a previous job, making $11.50/hr. We had a new baby, lived in a new town, and were what could only be described as "dirt poor." We often look back and stand in awe at the self-control we had with our budget, and also all the great […]
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May 20, 2013
Recipes
My "Too Good to Share But I'm Going To Anyway" Barbecue Sauce Recipe
Recipes
My "Too Good to Share But I'm Going To Anyway" Barbecue Sauce Recipe
Confession time. Sometimes, there are things I make that are so great, I just want to keep them to myself. I've always thought that every cook needs a few things under their belt that just blow people away, and everyone comes up to you and is like, "This is amazing! Can I have the recipe?!" […]
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May 17, 2013
Chris Cooks
What's the Difference Between Olive Oils?
Chris Cooks
What's the Difference Between Olive Oils?
I've received a few questions about olive oil lately that I thought I'd take today's post to address. See, whenever I'm explaining my dishes, sometimes I say stuff like, "Use light olive oil - not extra virgin" or "Use a fruity extra-virgin olive oil." The question I've been receiving is, "What's the difference?" This is a […]
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May 15, 2013
Recipes
A Really Good Salad With Really Good Stuff On It
Recipes
A Really Good Salad With Really Good Stuff On It
For Mother's Day dinner, Jules requested "a good salad in a big bowl." I like salad as much as the next guy (as long as that next guy doesn't really like salad), but salad just sounds so boring. So I walked up and down the produce section of our local grocery store and found a […]
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May 13, 2013
