Family Dinner with JP

Risotto is not nearly as complicated as some would have you believe. Truth is, as long as you keep stirring, you're gonna have a delicious meal. Cheesy flavorful rice with whatever proteins you desire. One of the most filling meals you will ever have. Try experimenting with other proteins and stocks to find the combination you're looking for, and as always, send me any questions you have. Enjoy! Ingredients: 1 28 oz can whole tomatoes 3 cups water 1 Tbs olive oil 1 package hot Italian sausages (or sweet if that's your fancy) 1 small onion, chopped Salt and pepper 1 cup arborio rice 1/2 cup dry white wine 1 bunch flat-leaf spinach (10-14 oz) 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 2 Tbs butter Instructions : In a small pot, combine the can of tomatoes (with juices) with 3 cups of water. Bring to a simmer, and keep over a low heat. In a larger pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Remove the sausage from its casing (by giving it a satisfying squeeze like a tube of toothpaste!) and...

Source: That Dog on the Internet Ever since launching the Twitch stream cooking show , my buddy Shampoodler AKA Shamp has been a stalwart follower and honest critic of the stream and, more importantly, the recipes. A few weeks back, Shamp suggested a recipe he likes to make at home, with a focus on doing something simple for the stream, but kicking it up just a few notches.  I have included the original recipe from Shamp below, in case you want to try his more ad lib approach. And to be honest, I know Shamp knows enough about cooking that he can wing a recipe like this pretty easily without even thinking. For me, I wanted measurements I can tweak and improve moving forward, and wanted to present something for viewers and followers of the blog to try at home. So I tweaked his recipe just a bit to incorporate some actual measurements and a roux. But on the whole, this is VERY similar to the Shamp original. I'm also including quick instructions for the simplest and BEST garlic bread. ...

Once I learned how to spatchcock a chicken, its the only way I've ever cooked a chicken again. It creates a more even cook, a faster cook, and more skin that you will know what to do with! The chicken is dry-brined for at least 12 hours, which helps retain moisture, provides even seasoning, and helps to crisp up the skin during the roast. For a side, red-skinned potatoes are parboiled and smashed, resulting in the crispiest oven roasted potatoes you've ever had.  This simple one-pan roast is a perfect way to make the most of your roast chicken AND your potatoes, which will cook underneath the chicken and soak up all the juices and rendered chicken fat (AKA schmaltz!). Meanwhile, while the oven roasts the bird and potots, a simple pan gravy with a splash of marsala will serve as the perfect accent to the finished dish. Ingredients : 1/2 cup kosher salt 2 Tbs baking powder Whole chicken (3-5 lbs preferred), patted dry 3 Tbs cooking fat (duck fat, vegetable oil, or peanut oil pref...

I recently took a streaming cooking class with some friends and learned how to make Paella, a dish that I always assumed was insanely complicated and difficult. Turns out, its really simple. Our teacher was Helina Sanchez, the Spanish Chef, who streamed her cooking class to us at 2:00 am from Barcelona. Helina was an absolute delight, and you should lookin into her recipes and into booking her for a cooking class.  I have adapted Helina's recipe here, but I will not reveal all of her tips and tricks. You should check out her videos to learn some amazing bits from a woman who has been cooking paella in Barcelona for decades. I won't lie: saffron is expensive. However, you will use a very small amount, and one jar should be enough for MANY iterations of this dish. I advise treating yourself. You don't need to buy a paella pan for this. But you want a pan with a large flat surface. A 12-inch skillet should suffice. There are many many proper ways to make a paella, and Helina t...

 JP's Chili Queen Bowl of Red; or, Turkey and Chickpea Chili. Ingredients 1 lb bacon 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 2 medium onions, chopped 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin 1 1/2 pounds lean ground turkey 1/4 cup chili powder 1 TBS ancho chili powder 1 Tbs minced garlic 1 chopped jalapeño  2 bay leaves 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes 3 cups beef stock or canned beef broth 1 8-ounce can tomato sauce 3 15-ounce cans small white beans, rinsed, drained OR 1 lb dry beans, soaked overnight and cooked Instructions Chop bacon into 1-inch pieces Put bacon into heavy dutch oven or pot over low heat. Add 3 Tbs water to pot. Simmer for about 20 minutes until bacon is pink and the fat has rendered out. Add onions; sauté until light brown and tender, about 10 minutes.  Add oregano and cumin; stir 1 minute.  Increase heat to medium-high. Add turkey; stir until no longer pink...

This recipe is one I like to call a Pocket Recipe. Which is not to say, necessarily, that you will end up with a pocket full of mashed peas. Nor is this to say you shant. Honestly, if pockets peas are your jam, do not let me stop you. But that's not really what I'm suggesting here. Mashy Peas, sometimes known as Mushy Peas (traditional, but less appetizing), Mashed Peas (a bit too on-the-nose for my taste), or, in a similar vein to the degree that I absolutely ripped off the idea slash "was inspired to create this by" Nando's own Macho Peas (too branded). And I call this a Pocket Recipe because this is a simple, fast, low commitment, low difficulty recipe you can make on any weeknight. You know what Mashy Peas go great with?! Just about every GD thing you can think of. Including wine. This is a Pocket Recipe because you have it with you at all times. Keep some frozen peas in the freezer. Pick up a lemon and some mint on your way home. BAM! Pea'd! The bas...

Time to shake off the dust and get things going again here, folks! So here's a recipe I concocted that's perfect for summer grilling and meat-loving. Things of note before we get into it: as my friend Cookie put it, "Argentine-style pork chop is called steak." Yes yes, I know, Cookie, I know. Thing is, I recently partook of the annual Pig Share with some friends and, with a freezer burtsing at the seams with pork products, right now I'm playing a little month-long game called "but can you put pork in it?" Spoiler: the answer is always yes. So fine, "Argentine-style" and "pork chop" may not fit with tradition. But you know what? Who cares? This pork chop tastes gooooood. After looking at a bunch of Argentinian steak marinade recipes and sauces, I mapped out this little ditty on my own. First off - citrus. I went with orange over the sour of lemor or the tart of lime, because I figured the sweetness would intensify when ca...