Croque Madame
The Croque Madame is a simple proposition, but a delicious one. Take a grilled cheese sandwich, throw some ham in it. BOOM. Croque Monsieur! But, as Beyonce once said, "If you like it, then you should have put an egg on it." Put a sunny-side-up egg on top of that Croque Monsieur and BOOM. Croque Madame!
Zucchini and Walnut Bread
I had never made zucchini bread until a month or two ago, when I was introduced to this recipe. Since then, I've made it no fewer than three times. Each time, I'm amazed at how delicious this bread is -- crispy on the outside, moist on the inside, and with just the right balance of sugar and vegetables that it fits as breakfast, lunch, dinner, or dessert. This recipe makes two good sized loaves (I cook them in an 8" x 4" pan) that will last a few ravenous people as long as a week. At Thanksgiving this year, two loaves of this bread went in mere minutes around my family.
Simple Soy Marinated Tuna Steaks
There is very little in this world that I love more than a delicious fish. Specifically a delicious, barely cooked fish; toss a slab of tuna on a plate, pass the plate over the grill to put it on the table, and call me a happy man. So when I was feeling indulgent recently, I headed over to my neighborhood fishmonger (the supermarket near my house) and picked up a tuna steak.
Skillet Breakfast Nachos
I'm about to revolutionize your nacho world in ways that you never could imagine. Unless, like me, you found yourself sitting around one day wishing that nachos were a socially acceptable breakfast food. "It's a pity we can't all just eat chips and cheese and delicious accouterments at all hours of the day," I thought to myself wistfully, probably looking out a window. Then, I had a eureka moment. I remembered the wonderful secret of the culinary arts: Eggs make everything socially acceptable to eat in the morning. Burger? Dinner. Burger with an egg? Brunch!
With that, breakfast nachos were born.
Peanut Butter and Jelly Muffins
I saw a recipe for jam muffins a few weeks ago, and decided to give them a try, but with a twist. I played around with some different balances and came up with these tasty little peanut butter and jelly muffins. A fun twist on an old concept, and a pretty healthy breakfast or snack option. The only sweetener involved is a little bit of honey and the sugar from the jam. You could probably make these with all wheat flour too, although I chose to go with half and half.
Surf and Turf Burgers
I'm constantly looking for new ways to spice up my hamburgers -- both literally and figuratively. So you can imagine how much I like this recipe for surf and turf burgers, which combines literal spice with menu diversity. It's a pretty simple recipe, mostly burger and shrimp, but it's a great twist on a standby, with a spicy mayo that knocks it out of the park.
Bacon Maple Cupcakes
Last week, a friend of mine celebrated her birthday. In fact, it was Justine, the author of this very site's wine and cocktail column! Said Justine isn't particularly a fan of sweet things because she's a weirdo. So I decided to throw a spin on the old birthday cupcakes and throw in some savory. Voila -- Bacon Maple Cupcakes!
Grilled Avocado
I had never thought about trying this before, but in the same mindset as the grilled nectarines that pleasantly surprised me last year, I saw this recipe and decided to give it a try. Say it with me: Grilled Avocado.
It's a simple recipe, but one that is the perfect addition to any grill or barbecue party. Grilling up meat this summer? Throw some avocados on the side of the grill and serve up a beautiful, tasty side dish that is right in line with any meal.