A recent trip to Santa Fe inspired this take on street dogs, best known for their place in Los Angelas late night food lore - we’ve altered the direction and locale to devise one of our favorite tail-gate foods in recent years - feel free to prepare all the components ahead of time then build to order once the dogs and bacon sizzle from the grill or oven - thump thump!
Autumn has officially arrived and I love the idea of a warm, cozy sip that uses locally grown apples with bourbon and smoky mezcal. This one is delicious for a swanky cocktail party but also works just fine in a red solo cup next to a bonfire or on a hayride.
The dog days of summer require something cool, strong, and slightly sweet - this one is just the ticket. Quick and easy to whip up…but impressive as a pre-dinner cocktail or for just sippin’ on the back porch. Feel free to increase the amount of vodka depending on your day -
Something magical happens when goat cheese is paired with summer tomatoes and juicy ripe peaches. This super quick salad works well as a starter course, but also equally impresses as an appetizer when served with our firecrackers or buttery grilled toast. We especially love the bright green nuance of fresh basil and mint from the garden, even though added bits of zesty arugula or watercress would make this the summer salad to end all summer salads….
A recent trip to Santa Fe inspired this take on street dogs, best known for their place in Los Angelas late night food lore - we’ve altered the direction and locale to devise one of our favorite tail-gate foods in recent years - feel free to prepare all the components ahead of time then build to order once the dogs and bacon sizzle from the grill or oven - thump thump!
My riff on the classic Spaghett is one of my favorite summer sips - the traditional recipe calls for just three ingredients, Miller High Life, Aperol, and Lemon - but the addition of fresh basil gives it a green brightness, taking it to a whole new level - enjoy - thump thump!
TECHNIQUE
Take a quick swig from the bottle of Miller High Life - add Aperol, lemon peel, and a single fresh basil leaf - sip.
This is a great, relatively simple and quick recipe if you’re having friends over for a summer dinner party or just for noshing at home on a weeknight with the family. The shrimp keeps the vibe light and healthy…perfect during the height of swimsuit season…thump thump!
Combine the soy sauce, rice wine, sesame oil and ginger in a bowl. Put half the shrimp, half the basil and all the green onions in a food processor and pulse; add just enough of the soy mixture to create a smooth paste, about 1 to 2 tablespoons. Transfer to a bowl. Roughly chop the remaining shrimp and basil, add to the bowl and stir to combine.
Place a dumpling skin on a work surface, moisten the edges with water, and place a spoonful of the filling in the center. Squeeze edges of the wrapper up around the filling, to pleat the sides; some of the filling should remain exposed. Repeat with the remaining dumpling skins and filling.
Arrange a bamboo steamer with perforated parchment over a medium an over a couple inches of water; bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Meanwhile, add the lime juice to the remaining soy mixture to make a dipping sauce.
Put as many dumplings in the steamer as you can fit in a single layer and cover the pot. Cook until the exposed filling turns pink and the wrappers are tender, 4 to 6 minutes, then transfer the dumplings to a serving platter or serve from the steamer. Serve with the dipping sauce.
This dish is inspired by many things - Autumn in the Ozarks, the Appleseeds Teaching Farm in Fayetteville, and seasonal ingredients that are best harvested this time of year…mainly beets. I love a slow roasted and log braised chicken, and even though this recipe tastes like it took hours to prepare, once the actual cooking begins, you can have a beautiful Fall chicken dinner in less than an hour. We like it served with mashed sweet potatoes, but it’s also divine with jasmine rice, couscous, and polenta.
