Food Wishes Video Recipes (2024)

If you’ve worked in restaurants before, you know that everynight before service the staff sits down to what’s called the “family meal.”One of the younger cooks is usually charged with scraping together somethingfilling and, more importantly, not expensive. It was during one of thesemeals that I first had adobo.

When I worked at the Carnelian Room in the late 80’s, muchof the kitchen crew was Filipino, so chicken and pork adobo was a verycommon dinner. One of the dishwashers made a particularly great version, and I fell inlove with the bold, simple flavors. I also remember being pretty annoyed thatthe dishwashers there were better cooks than I was at the time,but that’s another story.

Anyway, I happened to have some duck legs around last week, and all ittook was a well-timed email wishing for adobo to inspire this video. Iunderstand that most of you will not use duck for this, but if you do, be sureto save the fat.

Like I said in the video, no duck, no problem. If you can simmer itin a sauce, it will work in this recipe. Because of the high soy sauce content,be careful about over reducing, but other than that, not much can go wrong.This is cheap, easy, and very flavorful, which is why it makes for such agreat “family meal.” Enjoy!

Ingredients for 6 duck legs:

6 duck legs (or about same amount of chicken or pork)

salt and pepper to taste

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tbsp reserved duck fat

1 large onion, sliced

8 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup seasoned rice vinegar (if not seasoned, use a littlesugar to taste)

1/2 cup soy sauce, or to taste (this is a fairly salty dish, so if you're not into that kind of thing, add less and adjust later)

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

2 tsp sambal chili sauce, or other hot pepper sauce to taste

After five years, and a few thousand requests, I’m finallyposting my “ultimate” ranch dressing recipe. What makes it the “ultimate?”Nothing, except that’s what I’m calling it, and in the world of dips anddressings, that makes it so. By the way, ignore those other roughly 65,000“ultimate” recipes; this one is the actual “ultimate” ranch dressing.

It’s been ages since I made homemade ranch dressing, and I’dforgotten how much better it is than the bottled stuff. Don’t get me wrong; Ilike high-fructose corn syrup, artificial flavorings, and preservatives as muchas the next low-information voter, but this really is significantly moredelicious.

As you’ll see, I used some crème fraiche (which we showedyou how to make in this video), but relax, sour cream will work perfectly.However, I do believe the buttermilk is crucial. That some of my peers arecalling their ranch dressings “ultimate” without using buttermilk, really makesme question their grasp of the word “ultimate.”

Anyway, hyperbole aside, this really is the best ranchdressing I’ve ever had, and I hope you give it a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for about 2 cups Ranch Dressing:

1 1/3 cup real mayonnaise

1/3 cup buttermilk

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

pinch of cayenne

pinch of salt

1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed

1/4 teaspoon dried tarragon

2 teaspoons sliced fresh chives

1 tablespoon minced fresh Italian parsley

When I was asked to join some of my fellow foodies onYouTube, to produce a video for a special seasonal playlist called “Halloween Sweet Treats,” I sat down and considered all the scary sweetsrecipes in my repertoire. After several minutes of deep thought, I realized Ihad nothing.

Not to sound like a curmudgeon, but sticking broken pretzelsinto a marshmallow and calling it a “scary spider,” just isn’t my thing. So,instead of trying to figure out how to make a chocolate truffle look like ableeding eyeball, I made a batch of pumpkin cinnamon rolls. They may not bescary (what’s the opposite of scary?), but they are seasonal, and incrediblydelicious.

Well, that’s exactly what I did here, and while it may beformulaic, it also produced the best cinnamon rolls I’ve ever tasted. One keyis a nice soft, sticky dough. Be sure to only add enough flour so that thedough just barely pulls away from the side of the bowl as it kneads.

You can certainly embellish by adding some chopped walnutsor pecans to the cinnamon-sugar layer, but since I decided to garnish withpumpkin seeds, I went sans nuts. Anyway,despite not being very horrifying, these really would make a special treat atany Halloween party. I hope you give these a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 16 Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls:

1 package of dry yeast

1/4 cup very warm water (about 100-105 degrees F.)

1/2 tsp white sugar

1/2 cup pure pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)

1/4 cup heavy cream (can sub milk, but cream is better)

1 tsp fine salt

1/4 cup melted butter

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice (or 1/2 tsp ground ginger and 1/4 tsp allspice)

1 large egg

1/4 cup granulated sugar

3 to 4 cups all purpose flour (divided), as needed
(add enough flourto mixer so that dough just barely pulls away from sides, and a very soft,slightly sticky dough is formed)

*knead for at least 6-7 minutes

For the filling:

5 tbsp melted butter, brushed on rolled dough

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup of granulated sugar

2 tbsp ground cinnamon

*For the glaze:

1/4 cup room temperature cream cheese

1 cup powdered sugar

1/4 cup milk, or as needed

1/4 tsp vanilla extract, optional

*adjust glaze by adding more powdered sugar or milk toachieve desired consistency

1/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds to garnish

I’m going to be posting a seasonal pumpkin recipe on Friday,and let me tell you, it wasn’t easy deciding on which food wish to do. I gettons of pumpkin requests this time of year, and while I’m not going to spoilthe surprise, I can tell you that the venerable pumpkin roll didn’t make thecut. Maybe next year I’ll do my take, but in the meantime, here’s a video frommy friends at Allrecipes.com, featuring one of their highest-rated versions.Enjoy!

Click here to get the ingredients and to read the written recipe!

As I enjoyed this very tasty Brussels sprouts with warmbacon dressing recipe, I was reminded Thanksgiving side dish decision time israpidly approaching. It’s that annual dilemma where we’re forced to choose fiveor six recipes among hundreds of potentially awesome options.

What makes this decision so tough is that you want thingsthat are traditional and comforting, but at the same time, want to keep themenu fresh and interesting. You love those buttery mashed potatoes, and yetyou’ve wanted to make twice-baked potatoes for years. You always make Grandma’schestnut stuffing, but that spicy cornbread version you saw on Pinterest surelooks amazing. What do you do?

Do what I do; keep the starchy cornerstones classic, andswitch up the vegetable sides instead. Go ahead and do your favorite andfamiliar potato, stuffing, and gravy recipe; but when it comes to tired olddishes like green bean casserole, or peas and carrots, let your freak flag fly.

While I decided to go raw this time, you can certainly turnthis into a hot side by giving it a quick, stir-fry in a large skillet. Just aminute or two, until it starts to wilt, and you’re good to go. Anyway, I’m notsure if I made your side dish selection simpler or more complicated by showingyou this new and exciting offering, but I’m sure you’ll figure it out. Youalways do. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4-6 servings:
1 1/4 pound Brussels sprouts (will make about 1 lb. trimmedand sliced)

1 tbsp vegetable oil

4 oz bacon, sliced

2 tbsp brown sugar

1/3 cup cider vinegar

1 lemon juiced

salt and pepper to taste

There’s a fairly large population of folks who just don’tlike fish. I’m not talking about people with allergies, but those poor soulswho’s worst nightmare is arriving at a dinner party, only to find out the maincourse is fish. Their reasons are as diverse as they are unfortunate.

Well, this broiled red snapper recipe may be just what thedoctor ordered. Normally we don’t want to cover up the delicate flavors of theseafood, but in this case, we have no choice. It’s not like you can’t tellyou’re eating fish, but close enough.

By the way, the last time I made red snapper, a few peoplewondered out loud if that was a wise choice, sustainability-wise. I believe thevariety I used was local and not in danger, but I know it’s on some no-eat lists. However, things may be looking up for red snapper in the Gulf.

I just read that there appears to be an abundant red snapperpopulation there, and fishermen are anxiously waiting for the bureaucratic powersthat be to raise the limits. You can read more about that here. Of course, thiswill work with any white fish, so I hope you give it a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 (7-oz) red snapper filets

2 tbsp mayonnaise

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp bbq sauce

With the holiday entertaining season getting closer witheach falling leaf, it’s time to start thinking about those easy, yet still kindof fancy, snack recipes. These sweet, salty, spicy, party nuts are simple tomake, and will rival those expensive blends at the local Foodies-R-Us.

I find this technique much easier than the stovetop panmethod. You’ll get beautiful, perfectly frosted nuts that are roasted evenly,with no bitter burned spots. Speaking of which, I played it pretty safe withthe cooking times, so you may be able to go a few minutes longer for a deeperroast, but, don’t get greedy.

By the way, I always upload these videos to YouTube before Ipublish the blog post, and I just finished reading the first few comments. Wow,they sure have some wild imaginations over there! They claim the video isloaded with innuendos and lowbrow, double entendre-based humor. How dare they!They’re LOL’ing, ROFL’ing, and LMFAO’ing all over perfectly innocent recipedirections. It’s nuts.

Anyway, I hope you give these delicious, candied mixed nutsa try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 cups of nuts:

1 cup raw walnut halves

1 cup raw pecan halves

1 cup unsalted, dry roasted almonds

1 cup unsalted, dry roasted cashews

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/4 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp cayenne

*For the syrup:

1 or 2 tbsp butter

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

*Heat to a boil, cook one minute, and pour over nuts!

After using Merguez sausage in this beautiful stuffed acorn squash recipe last year, I got a bunch of emails saying, “I can’t find thatanywhere! Can you show us how to make it?!” I generally ignore those, since it’susually just people not looking hard enough (I’m looking at you, Mr. “I can’tfind Panko”).

However, in this case, I realized that Merguez is notcommonly stocked at the grocery store, so I decided to come up with an easyhome version. I didn’t bother with the casing, as these were originally goingto be breakfast patties, but as I mention in the video, I was seduced by abrioche roll, and ended up going full burger. Happily, it made for a verymemorable lunch.

If you do happen to give this Merguez recipe a try, I hopeyou make a double batch and not only experience the amazing burger it produces,but also use it in/on a number of things. It is wonderful in beans,frittatas, pastas, soups, and especially crumbled on pizza or flatbread. I really hope you give it atry soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for Four (4 oz) Patties:

1 pound ground lamb (rec., 85% lean, 15% fat)

1 tsp salt

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp coriander

1/4 tsp fennel seed
1/4 tsp turmeric

3 cloves garlic

2 tbsp Harissa (a spice red pepper paste), we did a version here. I didn’t add cayenne since my Harissa was very spicy, but feel free.

1 tbsp tomato paste

*Note: To check seasoning, fry a small piece and check for salt and heat.

View the complete recipe

I was browsing the web for some pumpkin recipe ideas, whencame across this lovely looking stack of pancakes. I clicked the image linkto see who was responsible for such sexy seasonality, and as I watched someblog called “Food Wishes” load, I realized I'd clicked on one of myown recipes.

I guess after doing over 750 videos I’m allowed to forget aboutone once in a while. Besides, the beautiful photography threw me off.

Anyway, I figured it was the universe’s way of telling me torepost it, since it’s the perfect time of year to give those flapjacks apumpkin makeover. You can get the ingredients, and read the original post here.Enjoy!

I’m not sure when this relatively new tradition started, but for whatever reason, I like to come up with a new and interesting coleslaw to serve at Thanksgiving. With all the rich, heavy foods that the holiday table brings, I really enjoy the contrast these cold, crisp, bracing salads provide.

I’ve been doing this for five or so years now, and this maybe my favorite version. Just adding the always interesting Asian pear to a standardcoleslaw would’ve been a nice enough touch, but what made this so special wasthe subtle heat from the pickled ginger.

I can just imagine how great that piquant punch is going towork with roasted turkey, and while I still have weeks to wait for officialverification, I’m pretty confident. I’m also confident you’ll be able to findsome pickled ginger, especially if you have any sushi bars near you.

By the way, this is not one of those “make the day before”coleslaws. You want everything fresh and crisp, and if you leave it overnight,not only will it get soggy, but it will be way over-marinated. You can make thedressing beforehand, as well as slice up the ginger and cabbage, but wait untilan hour before the dinner to cut the pear and toss everything together.

Anyway, if you’ve never considered a coleslaw for one ofyour holiday side dish selections, I hope this unusual, but very deliciousvariation inspires you to give it a try. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 6 servings:

1/2 small green cabbage, thinly sliced

1 large Asian pear, thinly sliced

1/3 cup finely sliced pickled ginger

1/4 cup sliced green onions

1 tsp toasted sesame seeds

For the dressing:

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup seasoned rice vinegar

1/2 to 1 tsp yellow miso paste, or to taste

hot sauce to taste (I used sriracha)

When ONE.org asked me to help raise awareness about their campaignto fight chronic malnutrition, using the humble sweetpotato, I had one important question…if I agreed, would I get some kind of totebag?

When I was informed there was no tote bag, I decided tocheck out their info anyway, and I’m very glad I did. While I was shocked to learnthat millions of children die each year from malnutrition, it was heartening tolearn what a huge difference this delicious “super-food” could make.

Anyway, I’m going to sign off so I can go add “Helped Bono fightchildhood malnutrition” to my resume, but I sincerely hope you take a minute and check outOne.org for more information about this sweet potato campaign, as well as sign the nutrition petition. Thank you, and as always, enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 lbs orange-fleshed sweet potatoes

1/2 tsp ground chipotle pepper, or to taste

1/2 tsp salt

2 tbsp olive oil, divided

1 onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 jalapeno, sliced

1 tbsp cumin

2 or 3 tbsp Ancho chili powder, or other chili powders, or to taste

1/4 tsp dried oregano

1 can (28-oz) diced or crushed tomatoes

1 cup water, more as needed
1 tbsp corn meal

1 tsp salt, or to taste

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp unsweetened cocoa

2 cans (15-oz) black beans, drained, rinsed

cayenne to taste

This shining example of what a few well-placed ingredientscan do to a plain piece of meat reminded me of a couple very important things.By the way, if you’re new to cooking, being reminded of stuff is one of thebest parts.

First of all, it had me recalling the old, “if it doesn’thave a bone in it, it’s really not a chop.” Of course, search engines beingwhat they are, we were forced to use the oxymoronic “boneless, center-cut porkchops” instead of the traffic stunting “pork medallions.” Not a big deal, butworth mentioning in case you’re ever backed into a corner during a heated,butchery-related water cooler debate.

Secondly, I remembered I need to redo that demo I did foranother website many years ago, on how to cut your own boneless, center-cutpork chops, thereby saving some cash. It’s a quick and simple trick, and oneI’m sure many of you will remind me I forgot about in a few weeks.

Anyway, the glossy glaze is really easy, and while there’sno starch or extra butter involved, it reduces quickly to a thick, rich,sweet-tart apple syrup. The rosemary and pepper flakes were the perfect accentsfor me, but this is a technique that begs for your own personal touches. I hopeyou give this simple and very tasty pork “chop” recipe a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 6 chops:

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tbsp butter

6 boneless center-cut pork chops (6-8 oz each)

salt and pepper to taste

3 cloves minced garlic

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

2 cups apple cider

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp minced rosemary

pinch of red chili flakes

As you may have noticed, we are smack dab in the middle of televised sports season.Baseball playoffs are starting (Go Giants!), football season is in full swing(Go Giants!), and basketball is just around the corner (Go Warriors??), soyou’re going to need some delicious dips to help soak up some of that beer. AsI’ve said before, the cornerstone of any proper game-day buffet is the dipselection. Here are a few of our favorites. Just click on the recipe name in the caption, and as always, enjoy!

Baked Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Baked Buffalo Chicken Dip

Clams Casino Dip

Green Hummus

I always feel a little guilty when I post one of thesetechnique videos, which is kind of strange since I get just as many “wishes”for this type of demo, as I do for straight recipes. People seem to likethem, and I’ll get lots of comments asking for more of the same, but there’sjust something about not being able to take a bite out of the final productthat leaves me slightly unsatisfied.

Of course, I could have eaten some more cheese balls at theend, but you know what I’m saying. Anyway, lack of proper money shotnotwithstanding, I hope this “cheesy” trick helps you master this very basicand desirable kitchen skill.

By the way, this is about much more than just looking cool.Depending on the recipe, flipping the food around without having to use a spoonor spatula can be a big advantage. It’s faster, more effective, and yes, it lookssuper cool too. I hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Way back when, the only way you would’ve found out about aregional recipe like Chicken Riggies, would have been to eat it while travelingthrough Central New York.

You would’ve loved it (because there’s nothing not tolove) and maybe even tried to recreate it when you got home, but more likely itwould have ended up fading into nothing more than a pleasant memory;referred to as “that rigatoni we had in Utica.”

I’m sure you’ll plan a trip through the lovely Utica/Romearea of New York State eventually, but in the meantime, I offer up my take onthis thoroughly enjoyable plate of pasta. I think it’s fairly authentic, withtwo notable exceptions. I use Marsala instead of the standard white wine, anduse roughly chopped thigh meat, instead of the more popular chicken breasts.

Anyway, if you’re from Central New York, I hope I did yourvenerable recipe proud. If you’re not, I hope you give this gorgeous rigatonirecipe a try, and experience what only a few decades ago, you may not have everheard of. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 portions:

1 tbsp olive oil

4 oz hot Italian sausage, crumbled

1 onion, sliced or diced

1 cup sliced mushrooms

salt and pepper to taste

1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, roughlychopped or cubed

1/2 cup Marsala wine

1 (28-oz) can whole, peeled San Marzano tomatoes, crushed

1 cup chicken broth

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup water, or as needed

1 1/2 cups chopped hot and/or sweet peppers (any jarred orfresh peppers will work, but cherry peppers are a good choice)

*if using mild peppers, use chili flakes or chili paste toincrease the spiciness.

1/2 cup pitted, halved Greek olives
3 cloves minced garlic

1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley

1 pound rigatoni