Recipes, creative cooking ideas and food photography from the author of the Taste of Tucson and Sprinkles! Cookbooks
Apparently, in the olden days, every casino in Las Vegas offered a $1.79 chicken dinner. If you won a $2.00 bet, you'd have enough money to buy one, so the dealer would shout, "Winner, winner chicken dinner ". Chicken is still pretty cheap, so you, dear reader, can be a winner every time you make one of these recipes.
This is a healthy and extremely flavorful way to dress up boneless skinless chicken breasts. Adding just a small amount of butter on top, and using grated parmesan for a garnish, keeps the fat and calories down.Don't skip the anchovy paste. It may seem like a weird ingredient, but it adds a lot of flavor. Also, don't be alarmed, the lemon juice will appear to cook the chicken a bit, turning it white in the marinating bag.
Recipe for red wine soaked sausages in creamy, cheesy pasta, using either plant-based or meat sausages and egg noodles.
This no-recipe recipe is my tribute dog to Sweathog, Vinnie Barbarino. The people of the Internet say it's a cross between a pizza and a hot dog and that is not untrue.
It took me forever to figure out how to make a thin crust pizza at home. I practiced stretching the dough for months. First I tried to roll out the dough onto a pizza stone. That did not work.
I made fancy sprinkles covered Easter eggs, and you can too. It's easy! Learn how in my latest article for the Food Network.
These vegan, slow-cooker barbecue flavored cocktail pups are made with baby carrots instead of little smokies. I developed this recipe for the Food Network.
This Greek yogurt pizza dough recipe has only two ingredients! With this pizza dough trick, you'll be a pie-making pro in no time.
Jackie Kashian's Recipe for Paprika Marinated Chicken.
Because I’ve been known to eat a Thanksgiving meal that consists almost entirely of mashed potatoes and gravy, I replace the cream and some of the butter in the recipe with an aromatic garlic and chile infused broth that I cook the potatoes in, resulting in lighter mashed potatoes that are BIG on flavor. Look for a smoky BBQ seasoning that does not contain sugar.
Roasted corn kernels in a creamy, cheesy sauce seasoned with chile and lime, inspired by Elote en Vaso sold by snack shops & street vendors in clear plastic cups. I made this recipe for my mom's skeptical, octogenarian friends at a dinner party at her house in late August, and they loved it. I used fresh Ohio sweet corn from the farmer's market that my brother cut from cob before sautéing in a hot cast iron skillet.
Old West style Vegetarian chili made with plant-based beef, and black beans. Served with vegan shredded cheddar cheese and sour cream. The Old West style beef and bean chili that I make here in Arizona is more-similar-than-not to what I grew up cooking in Ohio. These days, I know a lot more about the chiles and spices I use as ingredients, and the recipe I make now is almost entirely plant-based.
When I asked locals which Tucson centric recipes they would most like to see included in my cookbook quite a few people mentioned arroz con pollo and I’ve always found chicken and rice to be a comforting combo. This is a great make ahead recipe for workday lunches. At first glance salsa de chile fresco may look like pureed tomato sauce but it’s got a medium spicy kick of heat that will convince you otherwise.
When life gives me lemons... and shrimp, I make ceviche. Spicy, citrus shrimp ceviche on crunchy tostada shells is a bright and light Sonoran style Mexican treat.
The shrimp cocktail I grew up with in Ohio was reserved for special occasions. It was served in a chilled martini glass filled with crushed ice topped with a dollop of horseradish and lemon juice infused ketchup, the shrimp dangling around the rim. I loved it. Sonoran style shrimp cocktail (cocktail de camaron) is a more casual affair, but just as festive. It's traditionally served layered in the kind of glass used for ice cream sundaes, along with the customary long spoon, and since I make mine with Bloody Mary mix and hot sauce it's ready in about 5 minutes. This recipe is from my cookbook, Taste of Tucson.
I'm fascinated by the idea of roasting an entire head of cauliflower, so when I came across these adorable baby cauliflower at the market the wheels started turning. They make a visually stunning side dish, perfect on cold winter nights.You can substitute one large cauliflower if you can't find the little ones.
I topped this baked cheese crisp (which is a popular dish called Frico in Italy) with pizza spices and toppings before sliding it into the oven. The results: crustless pizza! This dish is a fast & easy, low-carb, high protein way to enjoy pizza night anytime, and it travels well too. Recently, I took a batch on a flight. When I unwrapped my precious bag of “yellow gold” I’d stashed in my carry-on bag, my fellow passengers sniffed the air like dogs and stared at me jealously as the unmistakable aroma of baked cheese filled the cabin. I used a cookie sheet covered with a Silpat so that the cheese slid right off. You can also cover your cookie sheet with parchment or foil.
This Sonoran version of tortilla soup features crushed tortilla chips and melted cheese anchored in a clear broth that is seasoned with garlic, green chiles and Mexican oregano. I use shredded roasted or rotisserie chicken so that it’s ready in about 30 minutes. If you can’t find RO-TEL in your neck of the woods, you can substitute it with 1 cup diced tomatoes and 1/4 cup canned diced green chiles.
This crunchy, salty, and spicy coleslaw is an excellent companion to Sonoran style dishes. Serve this spicy slaw alongside burros and enchiladas or layered in a sandwich like the Pork Torta from my Taste of Tucson cookbook. It's inspired by my very favorite Thai dish, Som Tum (green papaya salad). The Thai fish sauce gives this slaw a burst of umami flavor, but you could always just use a bit more salt if you want to keep it vegan.
I replaced the beef with crispy tofu, which adds just the right amount of heft and bite, and served it on crunchy baked tostada shells topped with Queso Fresco, scallions, radish and sliced pimento-stuffed olives.. This recipe was vegan-ized from the beef version published in my cookbook, Taste of Tucson.