Crispy Sheet Pan BBQ Ranch Chicken Tacos
Crispy Sheet Pan BBQ Ranch Chicken Tacos!
You get the crunch of a baked tortilla, the smoky sweetness of chicken baked right in BBQ sauce and ranch seasoning until it shreds perfectly, and all the melty cheese your heart desires. Top it off with fresh lettuce, diced tomatoes, and a heavy drizzle of creamy ranch for the ultimate weeknight winner. Minimal dishes, maximum flavor. Who wants one?
By - Prep: 10 mins
- Cook: 1 hr 30 mins
- Yields: 6 - 8 Servings
Dublin Lawyer
Dublin Lawyer is one of Ireland's most decadent traditional seafood dishes, consisting of lobster meat pan-fried in butter, flamed with Irish whiskey, and finished with a rich reduction of heavy cream. I have to say, it was absolutely delicious and so easy. I think next time I will make it with shrimp to make it even simpler.
The name is entirely satirical. In 18th and 19th-century Dublin, lawyers were notoriously viewed by the public as wealthy, excessively self-indulgent, and frequently "soaked in whiskey."
When this hyper-rich dish emerged—combining premium, expensive lobster with a lavish amount of heavy cream and top-shelf Irish whiskey—locals joked that it was either a meal only a wealthy lawyer could afford, or a culinary caricature of a Dublin lawyer themselves: rich, stuffed with luxury, and swimming in booze.
Over the years, a playful spin-off dish called "The Disbarred Lawyer" emerged on some Irish tavern menus. It swaps out the expensive lobster for more economical Dublin Bay Prawns (langoustines) or monkfish.
Japanese Curry Meatballs
I love Japanese Curry. To me, it's like Japanese comfort food. There's something so deeply satisfying and soul-warming about it. Instead of using cubes of beef, this recipe uses meatballs. Japanese curry sauce mix, often called "curry roux," typically comes in solid blocks or powder form. It's a blend of curry powder, flour, oil, sugar, salt, and various seasonings and spices. Vermont Curry and S&B Golden Curry are ready-made and the two most popular brands. These mixes usually have MSG. I prefer to make my curry from scratch. Though making the roux does take about 20 minutes to reach "color of a fox," as they say in Japan, a deep tan color. It’s well worth the wait! If you would like to make it from scratch, you can refer to my Japanese Beef Curry recipe.
- Prep: 20 mins
- Cook: 30 mins
- Yields: 4 Servings
North African Lamb with Chili, Ginger, Chickpeas and Couscous
Launching in his breakout 1999 debut The Naked Chef, this North African Lamb with Chili, Ginger, Chickpeas and Couscous remains one of Jamie Oliver's most iconic recipes. This dish simplifies traditional North African tagine flavors into an easy, one-pot comfort meal. I made this for a client. I really do not like lamb, so I gave the searing of the meat task to my husband. Next time, I will make it with beef. I did get rave reviews from my in-house tasters! I have no idea how I survived living in England for all those years, having to endure the dreaded Sunday lunch leg of lamb!
- Prep: 15 mins
- Cook: 1 hr 30 mins
- Yields: 4 - 6 Servings
Baked Alaska
Growing up, my mother wasn’t exactly known for her culinary triumphs, but there was one legendary exception: Baked Alaska. She nailed it every single time. For years, I avoided making it myself, thoroughly intimidated by the whole spectacle. But lately, my father has been on a mission. Without fail, after every single meal, he’ll look around and ask, "Where is the Baked Alaska?!" With Father’s Day rolling around, I decided it was finally time to step up to the plate. As it turns out, it was actually much easier than I’ve been giving it credit for all these years.
- Prep: 20 mins
- Cook: 25 mins
- Yields: 8 Servings
Roast Chicken with Dates, Olives, and Capers
This recipe for Roast Chicken with Dates, Olives, and Capers is from Ottolenghi, who was inspired by the Chicken Marbella recipe from The Silver Palate Cookbook, by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins. Chicken Marbella is one of the most iconic recipes from the 1980’s cookbook. I was lucky enough to live around the corner from the tiny 11-by-16-foot shop, which was located at 274 Columbus Avenue (near 73rd Street) in New York City. While the classic recipe uses pitted prunes, Ottolenghi swaps them out for dates. The chicken needs to marinate for at least a day, preferably two, to soften and flavor.
- Prep: 25 mins
- Cook: 50 mins
- Yields: 4 Servings
Sicilian Orange and Fennel Salad
This is a post from my husband, Eric. When you have a phenomenal orange tree in your backyard...
If you want a true taste of Sicily, this Orange and Fennel Salad is it. It’s known locally as Insalata di Arance e Finocchi and is an absolute icon of southern Italian cooking, showing up on practically every family table year-round. The secret? Beautiful simplicity. There's no cooking involved—just sweet oranges, salty olives, crunchy fennel, and great olive oil doing their thing. It’s fresh, it’s easy, and it’s practically begging for a piece of bread to mop up the plate afterward.
- Prep: 15 mins
Bacon Ranch Party Potato Casserole
This Bacon Ranch Party Potato Casserole is truly a crowd pleaser. It takes the classic Midwestern cheesy hashbrown funeral potatoes and gives them a punchy, modern upgrade by swapping out the traditional cream of chicken soup for tangy sour cream and zesty ranch seasoning, all topped with smoky bacon.
- Prep: 10 mins
- Cook: 1 hr
- Yields: 12 Servings
Bang Bang Shrimp
Instead of dealing with a messy stovetop deep-fry, this Bang Bang Shrimp is made for the oven. The shrimp is incredibly crunchy by using a smart fat-incorporation trick: mixing extra-virgin olive oil directly into the dry panko crumbs before breading. It’s served with this delicious Bang Bang Sauce. Most copycat recipes rely strictly on a heavy mayo base. This recipe cuts the mayo down significantly and introduces fresh lime juice and honey. This creates a much lighter, glaze-like sauce that yields a vibrant, tangy kick without weighing down the baked panko crust.
- Prep: 10 mins
- Cook: 15 mins
- Yields: 4 Servings
Hog Pogs
Hog Pogs are a brilliantly simple, wildly comforting vintage appetizer that hits all the best flavor notes: savory, creamy, salty, and warm. This four-ingredient appetizer is an open-faced cocktail toast. It’s raw ground Italian sausage, softened cream cheese, finely grated Parmesan, slathered on a slice of baguette and baked until golden. It can’t get any easier!
- Prep: 15 mins
- Cook: 25 mins
- Yields: 12 Servings
