Double Dark Chocolate and Bourbon Cookies

My wife, knowing my how much I like dark chocolate and bourbon, purchased a cookie similar to these at one of our favorite local grocery stores. I have to say this recipe turned out great. Maybe a little over the top, but they tasted great. The Double Dark chocolate comes from the dark cocoa powder…

Burrito California

This isn’t a California burrito, the one that has French fries in it. This was inspired by a local Mexican restaurant called El Primo. Their Burrito California has steak, chicken, shrimp, vegetables, beans, rice and an amazing white cheese sauce. The restaurant uses really fresh ingredients. It’s just a little strip mall Mexican restaurant but…

Seared Salmon, Succotash, Creamy Corn Sauce and Lemon Confit

This one was inspired by an episode of TasteMade‘s Make This Tonight, TV show. Years ago I made a Sweet Corn Soup and the creamy corn sauce recipe reminded me very much of that meal. It really honors the fresh seasonal corn we have right now. Seared Salmon with a Corn and Asparagus Succotash, Creamy…

Fried Chicken Grana Padano, San Marzano Sugo with Rotini Pasta

Like a few of my other recent Italian recipe posts (Bucatini all’Amatriciana and Spaghetti al Pomodoro), this one is super easy and super good. Unlike the other recipes, this wasn’t inspired by the time I spent in Italy. This one was inspired by a menu item at a local favorite restaurant. Restaurant 17 had a…

Copycat P. F. Chang’s Chicken Lettuce Wraps

We don’t eat at P.F. Chang’s much any more. Not because it isn’t awesome, but because where it is located. Crazy traffic, crazy people in crazy traffic. We avoid that area. The two things I miss the most are the Kung Pao Scallops and the Chicken Lettuce Wraps. Even the Veggie Lettuce Wraps are awesome….

Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin, Seared Okra and Pimento Cheese Grits

Super easy and impressive meal you can make on a week day, no problem. This was actually inspired by several meals I’ve eaten at restaurants. The bacon wrapped pork came from Soby’s and I’ve blogged before (Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin). The pimento cheese grits I had at Distilled at Gratz Park Inn. The seared okra…