Recipes

Tasty tri-tip is on the menu!! Watch me grill this popular cut, to everyone’s delight!

Santa Maria Tri-tip

• 1 tri-tip roast (2 to 2 ½ pounds)
• Oak wood chips, large piece of heavy duty foil

Dry Rub

• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons black pepper
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 ½ teaspoon onion powder
• 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, minced

Basting Sauce

• 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 6 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1. Start this recipe the night before you plan on grilling the tri-tip for the best flavor.
2. Prepare the dry rub by combining kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika, onion powder, and rosemary in a small bowl. Pat spices all over the tri-tip and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight.
3. Soak the wood chips in water for at least 30 minutes. Drain wood chips. Prepare a large piece of heavy-duty foil. Fold in half to double the thickness. Place wood chips in the center and fold foil over the ends to create a foil packet. Pierce the foil several times with the tines of a fork.
4. Make the basting sauce by combining the red wine vinegar, canola oil, garlic cloves, and Dijon mustard in a bowl.
5. Preheat grill to high. Place the foil smoker packet under the grates, right on top one of the burners. When you start seeing smoke, turn the heat down to medium-high.
6. Oil the grates with an oil soaked paper towel.
7. Place the tri-tip on the grill, and brush with basting sauce. Close lid and set timer for 4 minutes.
8. Turn tri-tip over, brush with basting sauce, and close lid. Set timer for 4 minutes.
9. Repeat these steps one or two more times, depending on the thickness of your steak. Use a meat thermometer and check. The temperature should read 130 degrees.

Slather this garlic butter on bread, pasta, fish, and hot veggies…it rocks!!!

The World’s Best Garlic Bread

This is a recipe I make year round! It pairs perfectly with BBQ, lasagna, salads, pasta, fish, and just about everything else!

• 15 garlic cloves
• 1 cup butter (2 sticks)
• Rustic bread, sliced ½ inch thick
• 1 cup Flat Italian parsley, washed and minced
• Kosher salt

1. Finely mince the garlic. Place in a medium skillet with two sticks of butter. Melt butter and stir well. Cook on low for 30 minutes. Stir every 5 minutes. Butter should not get over heated, or it will burn. Low and slow, with tiny bubbles, is key to getting the butter and garlic cooked perfectly.
2. While butter is cooking, pick the leaves off of the parsley. Rinse well. Dry thoroughly. Chop finely.
3. Once the 30 minutes are up, move the pan off the heat. Let cool for a few minutes, then add the chopped parsley to the garlic butter.
4. Use a silicone brush, and brush the garlic butter onto the slices of bread. Lay the bread onto a cookie sheet. Sprinkle with kosher salt.
5. You can freeze the bread at this point if you wish.
6. Bread can be baked or grilled (recommended).
7. To grill, preheat grill to medium to medium-high. Once grill is hot, place bread, sliced side down on the grates. Bread burns VERY easily, so you must stay close to the grill. Do not leave it unattended. Grill bread for 1 minute or so, and then turn over. Repeat on the other side.
8. To bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Reassemble slices to form a loaf. Bake for 20 minutes, or until bread is hot and crisped.

Try this amazing fresh summer salad recipe!!!

Summer Corn Salad

• 6 large ears of corn
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, cut in half
• ½ cup yellow onion, chopped fine
• 1 cup fresh basil, chopped small
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons salt
• ½ teaspoons black pepper

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook corn in boiling water for 10 minutes, or until desired tenderness. Drain, cool, and cut kernels off the cob with a sharp knife.
2. In a small glass dish, combine the sugar and the rice vinegar. Microwave on high for 30 seconds to dissolve the sugar. Add the mayonnaise and olive oil. Whisk well.
3. In a large bowl, toss together the corn, tomatoes, onion, and basil. Pour the dressing over it and season with salt and pepper. Stir well and refrigerate until serving.

The magical combination of asparagus and bacon…so easy and SO good!

Bacon Wrapped Asparagus

• 2 pounds asparagus (thin stalks are better for this recipe)
• 1 pound bacon, not thick cut
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper

1. Cut woody stems from asparagus.
2. In a large bowl, toss the asparagus with olive oil. Sprinkle with kosher salt and pepper and toss again.
3. Lay 3 asparagus stalks on a cutting board. Take one slice of bacon and wrap around the stalks. Try to keep the stalks flat as you’re wrapping them with bacon (think of it like a raft). Tuck the ends of bacon inside, so they cannot come loose on the grill.
4. Preheat grill to medium-low.
5. Grill asparagus for 4 minutes with the lid closed. Turn over and grill for 4 more minutes. Turn asparagus again and cook for 4 more minutes.
6. Serve immediately.

Party Perfect Appetizer!! Rotisserie Chicken, green onions, spices, and cheese rolled up into a tortilla!

Spicy Chicken Tortilla Roll Ups

• 1 ½ cups rotisserie chicken meat, chopped
• 1 10 ounce can Rotel diced tomatoes with chilies, drained
• 1 cup jalapeno jack cheese, shredded
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ½ teaspoon garlic salt
• ½ cup cilantro, chopped
• ½ cup green onions
• 6 large Jalapeno Cheddar tortillas

1. In a mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, drained tomatoes, cheese, remaining spices, garlic, cilantro and scallions. Mix together until well-incorporated. Add chicken and stir together.
2. Lay out tortillas and divide mixture evenly in the center of each. Spread into a thin layer leaving ½ inch around the edge. Roll each tortilla tightly. Chill in the refrigerator for one hour.
3. Use a sharp knife to cut into 1″ thick slices and transfer to a serving platter. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Bacon is one of my favorite ingredients! In this recipe, I stuff large jalapenos with a sinful mixture of cream cheese, bacon, corn, ranch dressing, and spices…and topped with a crunchy seasoned breadcrumb mixture…. Bake and serve for your next tailgater!

Bacon and Corn Stuffed Jalapeno Poppers

• 12 large jalapenos, cut in half and seeded
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese
• ½ cup bacon bits
• ¾ cup corn, thawed
• 1 ½ teaspoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 tablespoons ranch dressing

Topping

• ½ cup panko bread crumbs
• ½ cup parmesan cheese
• 2 teaspoons garlic salt

1. Wearing gloves, cut the tops off the jalapenos, and cut in half lengthwise.
2. Make the filling by softening the cream cheese and then adding the following: cheddar cheese, bacon bits, corn kernels, 1 ½ teaspoon cumin, kosher salt, cayenne pepper, and ranch dressing. Fill the jalapeno halves with this mixture. Place on a foil lined cookie sheet.
3. Make the topping by combining the panko bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, and garlic salt. Sprinkle topping over the jalapenos.
4. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 30 minutes.

Watch this cute video and learn two kid-friendly recipes for Halloween! Decorate cupcakes with a spider web and create a black bubbling punch!

Spider Web Cupcakes & Spooky Halloween Punch

Spider Web Cupcakes

• 1 box Devil’s Food Cakemix, follow package directions to bake cupcakes
• 1 16-ounce tub vanilla frosting
• 1 3.5-ounce tube Wilton sparkle gel-black
• Wooden toothpicks
• 18 plastic spider rings

1. Bake cupcakes according to package directions. Let cupcakes cool completely.
2. Frost cupcakes with the vanilla frosting. Use black sparkle gel, and draw a spiral shape on top of each cupcake. Using a wooden toothpick, drag it through the gel icing from the center outwards. Repeat this process on all of the cupcakes. Top each cupcake with a plastic spider ring.

Spooky Halloween Punch

• 1 packet unsweetened Orange drink mix (.22 oz)
• 1 packet unsweetened Grape drink mix (.22 oz)
• 1 ½ cups white sugar
• 8 cups cold water
• 2 liters ginger ale
• 8 ounces dry ice **Do not handle with bare hands. Use tongs….adult participation required!

1. In a large glass punch bowl, combine the grape and orange drink mix packets.
2. Add the sugar and cold water.
3. Stir until sugar has dissolved.
4. Add the club soda.
5. Store in the refrigerator until party begins.
6. Just before guests arrive, place the dry ice into the punch bowl using tongs.

Watch this cooking demonstration on how to make one of my favorite recipes! Miso, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, and Japanese rice wine make the perfect marinade for fresh salmon, which cooks up quickly on a cedar plank!

Miso & Ginger Glazed Salmon on Cedar Plank

• 2 lbs salmon, boneless and skinless
• ½ cup miso paste, red, room temperature
• 1/3 cup Mirin (Japanese rice cooking wine)
• 1/3 cup rice vinegar, unseasoned
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• ¼ cup green onions, sliced thinly
• ¼ cup ginger root, grated
• 4 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
• Cedar plank

1. Soak cedar plank in water for 2 to 4 hours before cooking the fish.
2. In a glass bowl, combine the miso with the Mirin. Using a spatula, thoroughly combine the two ingredients, so no lumps remain. Once smooth, add the rice vinegar, soy sauce, green onions, ginger, and sesame oil.
3. Place the salmon filet in a Ziploc bag, and pour the sauce over the fish. Marinate for 2 hours before cooking.
4. Preheat grill to medium heat for 15 minutes. Place the cedar plank on the grill and close lid, to preheat the plank for 5 minutes.
5. Place salmon on top of the hot cedar plank. Pour remaining marinade over the fish. Close the lid and cook salmon for 12 to 18 minutes, depending on the thickness of your fish.
6. Serve immediately.

So sweet, so easy, and SO delicious!!! Watch me make this rich tasting chocolaty treat, perfect for Valentine’s Day, dinner parties, or just for fun!

Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Cups

• 1 ½ cups dark chocolate (Chocolate Decadence is my favorite brand)
• 12 ounces silken tofu
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup raspberries, fresh or frozen
• ½ cup powdered sugar
• ½ cup fresh raspberries, for garnish
• 1 ounce fresh mint, for garnish

1. Put chocolate chips in a medium saucepan, and heat on the stovetop using LOW heat. Keep a close eye on the chocolate, and stir it often.
2. Place tofu and raspberries in a food processor. Process until smooth. Add the melted chocolate, maple syrup, vanilla, raspberries, and powdered sugar and process until very smooth. Scrape down the sides and process for 30 seconds longer. Pour into martini glasses for elegant presentation. Garnish with fresh raspberries and mint.
3. Refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.
4. Make Ahead Tip: Loosely cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days

What a delicious way to use quinoa!!! Watch me prepare a client favorite recipe, using quinoa, black beans, cilantro, corn, and spices! I promise you’re going to love it!

Quinoa with Black Beans and Cilantro

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped fine
• 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons cumin
• 1/3 teaspoon cayenne pepper *you can double or triple the cayenne if desired
• 2 cups quinoa, rinsed well
• 1 cup white wine
• 3 cups broth, HOT
• 1 pound corn kernels, thawed
• 2 15-ounce cans black beans, drained well
• 2/3 cup cilantro, washed and chopped

1. Sauté the onion and garlic in olive oil until the onion is translucent. Add the cumin and cayenne and stir well.
2. Rinse the quinoa with plenty of water. Add to the pan. Add the white wine and bring it to a boil. Continue stirring until the wine has completely evaporated.
3. Add the 3 cups of broth and bring it to a boil again. Scrape down the sides of the pan to ensure all of the quinoa is submersed in the cooking liquid. Turn heat down to medium-low and cover. Cook for 20 minutes.
4. After the 20 minutes are up, add the corn kernels. Stir well, cover again, and cook for 5 more minutes.
5. Mix in the black beans and cilantro. Stir well and heat through.

This dish freezes well. You can portion it out into lunch sized servings and store them in the freezer. Just grab one out of the freezer before you leave for work!