“A hot potato salad? Are you crazy?” is probably what you’re asking yourself. And I get it, I really do. This is one of those moments, I need you to trust me on this.  This potato salad is delicious and easy to make. 

Besides being served warm, it has a delicious bacon vinaigrette dressing.   Hot German Potato Salad is something you ought put out at your next BBQ. 

Ingredients: 

• 2 lbs Red or Gold potatoes

• Dressing: 

  • ⅓ lb Bacon 

  • 1 large Red Onion, chopped 

  • ⅓ cup ml Apple Cider Vinegar  

  • 3 tbsp Sugar 

  • 3 tsp Dijon Mustard 

  • 1 tsp Salt 

  • 1-2 tbsp Chives, chopped 

  • 1 tbsp Parsley, chopped 

How to: 

1. Wash potatoes. Place them in a large pot. Fill pot with cold water, season water as if you were cooking pasta. Bring to a boil until a fork can easily poke a larger potato. 

2. While Potatoes are cooking, cook bacon until crispy.    

3. Keep about 2tbsp of bacon fat in the skillet, turn down the heat to low-medium-low and proceed to fry onions until translucent.  

4. Turn off the heat. Mix in apple cider vinegar, sugar, dijon and salt. Make sure it’s all mixed in well together. 

5. Once potatoes are tender, drain them and slice them into round thins. 

6. Toss sliced potatoes with vinaigrette and top with chopped herbs.

7. Serve warm and enjoy.                      

Come on Barbie, let’s go party!

What you’ll need:

• 2 oz Aperol

• 1 oz Gin

• 1 oz Lemon juice

• ¾ oz Simple Syrup

• 1 Egg White

• 2 dashes Orange Bitters

• Optional garnish: pink edible flower petals

Directions:

1. Add ingredients to cocktail shaker. Dry shake without ice.

2. Add ice to cocktail shaker and shake vigorously for at least one minute.

3. Strain using a fine strainer into a coupe glass

4. Garnish with edible flower petals and enjoy!

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Let’s make an Oppenheimer inspired Smokey Manhattan

• 2oz Bourbon Whiskey

• 1oz sweet / red vermouth

• 2-3 dashes of orange or regular bitters

• 2 Luxardo Maraschino cocktail cherries

• Cherry wood chips

Directions:

1. 1. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice

2. Combine bourbon, vermouth, orange bitters

3. Shake vigorously

4. Pour into a low glass

5. Place smoker lid on glass, fill with cherry wood and torch chips until smoke is visible

6. Serve with smoke rolling off the top

Today we’re making a chipotle sweet potato salad that will knock your socks off.   It’s smokey, it’s sweet and it’s got a hint of spice. 

The Chipotle Sweet Potato Salad is so easy to make and tasty to eat. 

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Ingredients: 

• 2-3 lbs sweet potatoes

• 2 limes 

• ½ cup mayo 

• Can of chipotle peppers 

• Cilantro 

• Salt and pepper 

Here’s how we’re going to do it: 

1. Boil 2-3 pounds of sweet potatoes 

2. While that is boiling, prepare the dressing 

3. In a blender - blend the following:

   1. Add Zest of 2 limes 

   2. Juice of two limes 

   3. ½ cup of mayonnaise 

   4. Salt & pepper 

   5. 2-3 canned chipotle chillis and their juice 

   6. A handful of cilantro  

4. Once potatoes are boiled, allow to cool for a bit then peel and cube them 

5. Chop 1 red onion & 4-5 celery stalks 

6. Combine all together, top with chopped cilantro and enjoy! 

@cookingwithsageWhats the difference between a peach and a nectarine? #foodfacts #fruitfacts #fruity

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I learned that peaches and nectarines were essentially the same fruit. They differ on whether an allele is dominant or recessive. The dominant allele leading us to fuzzy peaches and the recessive allele giving us naked nectarines.

But then this commenter asked: “But do they make the same pie?”

That question plagued me for months. The moment I saw that peaches and nectarines were available, I bought 25+ pounds of them and got to baking.

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And as any good red-white-and-blue blooded American would do - I took my best creations to a 4th of July party and I asked my friends to guess which was which!

@cookingwithsageReplying to @Lexi Sage We’re making the BEST peach pie / nectarine pie recipe today! The Best Peach (or Nectarine) Pie Recipe Prep: 50 mins Cooking time: 1 hour 10 mins Serves: 8  Ingredients: 🥧Pie Dough of your choosing (enough for a double crust)  🍑 8 large #peaches or #nectarines, sliced (peeling is optional) 🍋1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice  4 Tbsp. All-Purpose Flour  ⅓ cup packed brown sugar  ⅓ cup granulated sugar  ¼ tsp ground cinnamon  ¼ tsp ground nutmeg  Pinch of salt  1 tbsp butter, cubed 1 egg (for egg wash)  3 tbsp turbinado sugar (optional)  How to: Preheat oven to 375F / 190C  Mix peaches in a large bowl with lemon juice  In a separate bowl, mix together all dry ingredients - flour, brown sugar, white sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt  OPTIONAL: It’s time to pre-bake the bottom crust. I’ve found this makes crusts flakier and less likely to get soggy. Poke the bottom of the pie with a fork, then place in the oven for 7-10 minutes  Combine peaches and dry mixture together. Put peach mixture in bottom pie crust, add cubed butter throughout  Cover with top crust, seal the edges, and brush the top with egg wash. If you have turbinado sugar, sprinkle some on top  Cut vents into top of pie  Bake for roughly 1 hour or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling Give it about an hour before eating and enjoy! #peachpie #pierecipe #nectarine #pietok

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The Best Peach (or Nectarine) Pie Recipe

Prep: 50 mins 
Cooking time: 1 hour 10 mins 
Serves: 8 

Ingredients:

• Pie Dough of your choosing (enough for a double crust) 

• 8 large peaches or nectarines, sliced (peeling is optional)

• 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice 

• 4 Tbsp. All-Purpose Flour 

• ⅓ cup packed brown sugar 

• ⅓ cup granulated sugar 

• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon 

• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg 

• Pinch of salt 

• 1 tbsp butter, cubed

• 1 egg (for egg wash) 

• 3 tbsp turbinado sugar (optional) 

How to:

1. Preheat oven to 375F / 190C 

2. Mix peaches in a large bowl with lemon juice 

3. In a separate bowl, mix together all dry ingredients - flour, brown sugar, white sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt 

4. OPTIONAL: It’s time to pre-bake the bottom crust. I’ve found this makes crusts flakier and less likely to get soggy. Poke the bottom of the pie with a fork, then place in the oven for 7-10 minutes 

5. Combine peaches and dry mixture together.

6. Put peach mixture in bottom pie crust, add cubed butter throughout 

7. Cover with top crust, seal the edges, and brush the top with egg wash. If you have turbinado sugar, sprinkle some on top 

8. Cut vents into top of pie 

9. Bake for roughly 1 hour or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling

Give it about an hour before eating and enjoy! 

Let’s make the Speak Now cocktail to celebrate Taylor’s new album. The Speak Now cocktail is the perfect summer cocktail to sip on while listening to Speak Now (Taylor’s Version".)

Ingredients:

• Empress Gin: 1 ½ oz

• Limoncello: 1 oz

• Lavender Simple Syrup: 1 oz

• Lemonade: 1 ½ oz

• Tonic water: a splash

• Garnish: Lemon Wedges/ Lavender

Directions:

1. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice

2. Add the gin, limoncello, lemonade and simple syrup

3. “Shake it off” for 30 seconds

4. Fill cocktail glass with ice

5. Pour the cocktail over ice

6. Top it with a bit of tonic water

7. Garnish with lemon wedges and lavender

We live in a split house house. One part vegetarian and one part try-atarian. Meaning I will try anything. The only thing I have ever come across that I did not like was tripe. I blame Rocket Power.

One of my wife’s favorite cuisines is Italian. She adores the pizza (her favorite food), the pasta, the desserts… just about anything Italian she loves. When she went vegetarian, it was hard to find good Italian vegetarian recipes. We thought she would have to forgo the variety and deliciousness that Italian cuisine offers.

One day that all changed.

We were at Skylark Books in Columbia, MO (where she was attending law school) and stumbled upon “Vegetariano: 400 Regional Italian Recipes.” It was filled with mouthwatering vegetarian recipes. It was compiled and published by the Slow Food Editore the publishing arm of Slow Food.

Slow Food traveled around Italy compiling this book from famous restaurants, Nona’s kitchens, small cafes and everything in between.

Over the last year, I’ve been working my way through this cookbook and I’ve barely scratched the surface. It’s filled with delicious, rich and simple dishes. Most of the serving sizes are massive. This dish says it serves 4-6. I used a large casserole dish to bake it it.

Recently, I made the Eggplant Parmesan (or Parmigiana di Melanzane as it’s titled in the cookbook.) It was pretty dang good.

Let’s make it!

Parmigiana di Melanzane / Eggplant Parmigiana with Tomato Sauce

From: Osteria Nunzia, Benevento, Campania

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 lb Eggplant (2-3 medium sized ones)

• Salt to taste

• 1 Medium Yellow Onion, minced

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil for sautéing & frying

• 2 large cans Whole Tomatoes

• All-Purpose Flour for dredging

• 6 Eggs, lightly beaten

• 8-10 Basil Leaves

• 1 1/2 lb Mozzarella, diced

• 1/2 cup Parmesan Reggiano

Let’s Make It!

1. Prep & Sweat Eggplant
   Cut eggplant longwise into 1/4 inch thickness. Salt slices and place in a colander to sweat & drain (roughly 30-45 minutes). The salt pulls out some of the moisture in the eggplant.

2. Get the Sauce Ready
   While eggplant is sweating, it’s time to make the sauce. In a pot, heat up a some oil. Once oil is warm, saute the onion for 5-7 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook on low for 30-45 minutes.

3. Dredge & Fry the Eggplant
   While Tomato sauce is cooking, it’s time to fry the eggplant. First, in a large pan heat up a generous amount of olive oil. Bread the eggplant in the following steps: First, dredge the eggplant in flour then dip in egg. Next, place it in frying pan to cook. Once eggplant is a golden color, place on a paper towel lined baking tray to cool.
   Repeat until all eggplant is fried and ready. Keep your leftover egg.

4. Layer the Eggplant Parm
   Preheat oven to 350F.
   Remove sauce from heat.
   In a large casserole dish, layer:
   1. Sauce + torn basil leaves
   2. Eggplant
   3. Mozzarella cubes
   4. Parmesan
   Make sure eggplant is overlapping a tad. Repeat until all eggplant is used (or you run out of space in the pan.)

5. Top it Off
   Top off the eggplant parm with any left over sauce, egg, basil and cheese. It feels weird to put egg on top, but I trusted the process and now I”m asking you to trust me. It tastes delicious.

6. Time to Bake
   Place Eggplant Parmesan in the oven. I placed an extra baking sheet underneath mine. It has a chance of bubbling over.
   Bake for 30-40 minutes.

7. Time to Eat!
   Once it’s done, allow to cool. According to the book, parmigiana should “only be eaten completely cooled or at room temp”. I say you do what you want. This dish is delicious cold or hot.
   
   
   

Gnocchi is one of those things that are deceptively easy to make. Admittedly, it seems complicated and time-consuming, but you only need some potatoes, a strong mixer, and some know-how.

My mom made this sweet potato gnocchi for me growing up. She would make a quadruple batch of the gnocchi at a time and flash-freeze any extra. So delicious Sweet Potato Gnocchi was only 15 minutes away at any time!

Recently, I recreated my mom's recipe for an 8-course Taylor Swift era's-themed dinner party. For the dinner party, I called this dish "Welcome to (fall) in New York." This dish was served for the 1989 era course paired with the "Starbucks Lovers" cold brew cocktail.  

If you're making this for your own Taylor Swift Era's dinner party, you can make this recipe or pick up Trader Joe's frozen version. No judgment here! This and the "I'm Feeling' 22" Layers of Potatoes are the party's most intensive and time-consuming recipes.

Sweet Potato Gnocchi with a Brown Butter Sage Sauce 

Serving Size: 10-12 

Gnocchi

• 2-3 lbs Large Sweet Potatoes, washed and pierced with a form 

• 12 oz Fresh Ricotta Cheese (drained) 

• 3-4 oz Finely Shredded Parmesan

• 2 tbsp packed brown sugar

• 2 tsp + 2 tbsp salt 

• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg (fresh if you have it) 

• 2.5 - 3 cups all-purpose flour 

Sauce

•  1 cup unsalted butter (aka 2 sticks)

• 6 tbsp chopped fresh sage 

• Whole sage leaves (garnish)

Let's Make It 

1. Cook the Potatoes
   Microwave sweet potatoes on high until tender (about 10 minutes). Remember to flip them halfway through! Once cooked, cut the potatoes in half and scrape out the insides. Place orange flesh in a large bowl. We're aiming for 3 cups of sweet potatoes. If you have more or less, adjust the flour accordingly. 

2. Mash Potatoes and Let Them Cool
   Let the sweet potatoes cool off for 30-60 minutes. This will help make the gnocchi fluffier.

3. Mix in the Cheese & Seasonings
   Once sweet potatoes have cooled, mix together ricotta, Parmesan, brown sugar, 2 teaspoons salt, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Mix it all together really well. You want it to be a goopy consistency. 

4. Slowly Mix in the Flour
   lowly mix in the flour. Try to add about 1/2 cup of flour at a time. You're looking for a soft cookie dough texture.

5. Shape the Gnocchi
   Now it's time to form the gnocchi! Divide the dough up into 8 equal chunks. Any portion you are not using, stick in the fridge. On a floured surface, roll the gnocchi into a rope about the thickness of your thumb. Sprinkle with flour as needed to keep it from sticking. 

6. Cut and Fork the Gnocchi
   Cut the rope into inch-long pieces. To get the signature gnocchi look, roll the gnocchi over the tines of the fork. Place rolled, cut, and forked gnocchi on a baking tray or plate with parchment paper. Rinse and repeat until all the dough is ready. 

   1. If you want to save some uncooked gnocchi for later, place gnocchi not touching on a parchment-lined tray or plate. Place in the freezer for 30 minutes, and put flash-frozen gnocchi in a baggie. Repeat until the desired amount of gnocchi is frozen. 

7. Boil the Gnocchi
   Bring a large pot to boil. Add a healthy pinch or two of salt (about 2ish tbsp). Cook gnocchi until floating for 1 minute. Make sure to work in batches. Once the gnocchi is cooked, place it on a clean tray or table to the side. 

8. Prepare the Sauce
   Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. You should pay attention to your butter here. Once butter browns, it can go burnt very fast. Swirl the pan occasionally. You are looking for the butter solids to be light brown and smell nutty.  

9. Cut the Head and Add the Sage to Butter
   Turn off the heat and immediately add chopped sage. The mixture will bubble, and that's a'okay. Season with salt and pepper. 

10. Toss Gnocchi in the Sauce
    Divide the butter mixture in half. Using one-half, heat the butter mixture over medium-high heat. It's time to add a nice crispness to our gnocchi. Place about half of the gnocchi in a skillet and cook for about 6 minutes. Place cooked and pan-fried gnocchi on a plate or tray. Repeat until the desired amount of gnocchi is used. 

11. Plate this Bish
    Plate gnocchi on salad plates or shallow bowls. Add whole sage leaves and a pinch of finely shredded Parmesan to garnish. 

Move over espresso martinis; this is the coffee cocktail you should be making. First off, it tastes better. Second, making for a single serving or in a large batch is much easier. 

It works great for a brunch pick-me-up cocktail or as the drink for the 1989 course of a Taylor Swift Eras-themed dinner party. 

It’s a straightforward cocktail. It’s easy to make as a single serving or in a giant batch for serving. It’s a slightly sweet, creamy, but balanced cocktail. 

What’s the Taylor Swift connection? 

In the song Blank Space, there is an all-time most misquoted line. The majority of fans (including Taylor Swift’s mom) thought the line was: 

Spoiler alert it is not. Taylor even teased her fans about it on Twitter in a since-deleted tweet, saying: 

The actual lyric makes more and less sense at the same time. The verse goes: 

“Starbucks Lover” Cold Brew Cocktail 

Serving Size: 1

• 1.25 oz Bourbon

• .5 oz Triple sec

• 2.5 oz Cold brew coffee (the stronger, the better) 

• .5 oz Maple syrup 

• .5-1 oz Heavy Cream or Half-Half 

• Cinnamon Stick for Garnish 

• Ice for shaking and serving 

Let’s Make It (single serving) 

1. Combine bourbon, triple sec, cold brew, and maple syrup in a shaker filled with ice. Shake the cocktail hard. 

2. Strain into a short glass over ice. 

3. Slowly pour the cream (or half-half) over the top. 

4. Add a cinnamon stick for garnish. 

   1. Tip: if you heat up the cinnamon stick with a little fire or dry toast it in a pan, it will be 10x more aromatic and flavorful

5. Enjoy! 

“Starbucks Lover” Large Batch Recipe!  

This drink is incredibly easy to make ahead in a large batch. 

Serving: 6

• 7.5 oz Bourbon 

• 3 oz Triple Sec

• 15 oz Cold Brew (the stronger, the better)

• 3 oz Maple Syrup

• 3-6 oz Heavy Cream or Half-Half 

• 6 Cinnamon Sticks for garnish 

• Ice for drinks 

Let’s Make It  

1. Combine bourbon, triple sec, cold brew, and maple syrup in a large pitcher. Stir vigorously. You can place this in the fridge until it’s time to serve. 

2. To serve, fill a short glass with ice. Pour cocktail mixture 3/4 full and then top off with heavy cream or half-half. 

3. Stick in a Cinnamon stick for garnish. 

   1. Tip: if you heat up the cinnamon stick with a little fire or dry toast it in a pan, it will be 10x more aromatic and flavorful

This is hands down the best recipe I’ve created to date. It’s undisputed among my friends and family. She’s not a very photogenic recipe, but damn does it taste good.

It wasn’t until I lived in the UK did I understand how good oats could be. A friend of mine made ‘porridge’ with coconut milk instead of water and my mind exploded. Since then, I’ve been exploring what can be done with oats. Recently, I created this Triple Berry Baked Oatmeal for some friends and was pleasantly surprised how much they like this.

Fun fact: Oatmeal is a type of porridge!

FAQS

WHAT SHOULD I DRINK WITH TRIPLE BERRY BAKED OATMEAL?

This is the type of breakfast or snack that is easy to eat at home or on the go. I would pair this with a good cup of coffee, tea or your favorite morning beverage.

WHAT ELSE CAN I EAT WITH THIS?

This makes a great additional to a brunch spread or breakfast in the morning. I would pair this with one of the following:

• Scrambled eggs

• Omelette

• Veggie Breakfast Hash

WHAT VARIATIONS AND SUBSTITUTIONS CAN I DO WITH TRIPLE BERRY BAKED OATMEAL? 

• I hate/can’t eat berries… Try slicing up a few apples with a squeeze of lemon and dash of cinnamon instead of the berries.

• Gluten Free?  Some oats are gluten-free, but processed on equipment that process’ wheat. As always, check the packaging of your ingredients to confirm. 

• Vegetarian ? Vegan?  This dish is vegetarian. To make it vegan, swap out the cream cheese for a vegan alternative.

• Nut Free? No nuts are used in this recipe.

• Variations? Try the apple cinnamon variation described above. Oh! Swap out the berries for peaches for a peaches and cream vibe.

HOW DO I MEAL PREP OR FREEZE BAKED OATMEAL?

This is an extremely easy recipe for making ahead. Some would say it is ideal for a ‘grab-and-go’ type of breakfast. Cut baked oatmeal into individual servings, place in containers and refrigerate. Eat cold or warm up in the microwave until warm.

Let’s make it!

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

• 4 cups Old-Fashioned Oats

• 80 g Protein Powder Vanilla

• 1 ⅓ tsp Baking Powder

• ¼ tsp Salt

• 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon

Wet Ingredients

• 22 oz Mixed Frozen Berries

• 1-2tbsp sugar

• 2 ⅔ tbsp Maple Syrup or Honey

• 1 ⅓ tbsp Butter

• ¾ cup Liquid Egg Whites or 2 whole eggs

• 2 ⅔ cups 1% Milk or almond milk

Topping

• 5.33 oz Light Cream Cheese you can round up to 6 or down to 5

Instructions

Berry Prep (optional)

• Macerate your berries. Macerate is a fancy way of saying "mix your berries with a tablespoon or two of sugar and let sit" before using. Speed up the process by heating them in the microwave until thawed.

Berry Bake Time

• Preheat your oven to 375F/190C.

• In a large bowl, measure and mix all your dry ingredients: oats, baking powder, protein powder and salt.

• Next, mix in the wet ingredients: egg whites, milk, syrup, melted butter, and 2/3 of the berries. Save the other 1/3 for topping the oatmeal bake

• Prep a 9"x13" pan with either spray or parchment paper. Pour oat mixture into the bowl.

• Microwave the cream cheese for 30-60 seconds or until a liquid-y consitency. Then swirl it ontop of the oatmeal. Sprinkle reamaining 1/3 berries on top.

• Bake for 35-40 minutes.

• Top with a dollop of greek yogurt and drizzle with honey. Enjoy!

FAQS

WHAT SHOULD I DRINK WITH TRIPLE BERRY BAKED OATMEAL?

This is the type of breakfast or snack that is easy to eat at home or on the go. I would pair this with a good cup of coffee, tea or your favorite morning beverage.

WHAT ELSE CAN I EAT WITH THIS?

This makes a great additional to a brunch spread or breakfast in the morning. I would pair this with one of the following:

• Scrambled eggs

• Omelette

• Veggie Breakfast Hash

WHAT VARIATIONS AND SUBSTITUTIONS CAN I DO WITH TRIPLE BERRY BAKED OATMEAL? 

• I hate/can’t eat berries… Try slicing up a few apples with a squeeze of lemon and dash of cinnamon instead of the berries.

• Gluten Free?  Some oats are gluten-free, but processed on equipment that process’ wheat. As always, check the packaging of your ingredients to confirm. 

• Vegetarian ? Vegan?  This dish is vegetarian. To make it vegan, swap out the cream cheese for a vegan alternative.

• Nut Free? No nuts are used in this recipe.

• Variations? Try the apple cinnamon variation described above. Oh! Swap out the berries for peaches for a peaches and cream vibe.

HOW DO I MEAL PREP OR FREEZE BAKED OATMEAL?

This is an extremely easy recipe for making ahead. Some would say it is ideal for a ‘grab-and-go’ type of breakfast. Cut baked oatmeal into individual servings, place in containers and refrigerate. Eat cold or warm up in the microwave until warm.

Video on how to make

@cookingwithsageI cant stop wont stop eating this baked berry oatmeal Full recipe on @ cookingwithsage.substack.com #brunchoclock #breakfast #cookingwithsage

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This drink is simple. Delicious and refreshing. It works great for a hot summer day or as the drink for the Lover course of a Taylor Swift-themed dinner party. In addition, it’s an eye-catching Alice in Wonderland-esque purple drink.

Empress 1908 Gin is created with butterfly pea flowers. The flowers are what give Empress its distinctive purple hue. They have a slight floral taste and are most commonly used in teas and natural food coloring. 

What’s the Taylor Swift connection? 

It’s called “drinking in the afternoon” after a lyric in “London Boy.” Gin and Tonics are often associated with British culture. It really went hand-in-hand. 

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The “Cruel Summer” G&T 

• 2 oz Empress 1908 Gin

• 3 oz Elderflower Tonic

• Edible Flowers 

• Ice 

Let’s Make It 

1. Fill a glass with ice 

2. Add gin, then tonic 

3. Top with an edible flower garnishment 

4. Drink and enjoy!

If you haven’t been following along, I threw an 8-course Taylor Swift eras themed dinner party recently. This salad was created for the “Lover” era. It’s bright, light and has punchy garlicky-pink dressing that reflects the vibe of the album.

Let’s get into it!

Recipe: ‘Darling I Fancy You” Salad + Dressing

Active time: 15 minutes
Inactive time: 5 minutes

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

Salad:

• 16 oz Mixed Greens

• 4 Carrots (ideally different colors), cut into coins

• 6 Radishes, sliced thin

• Small carton edible flowers

• Bonus: Sweet corn shoots

Dressing:

• 1 Red Onion

• 5-10 Cloves Garlic

• 1/4-1/2 cup Olive Oil

• 1/4 cup Mayonaise

• 2 tbsp Honey

• 1 Lemon, Zested and Juiced

• Salt & Pepper to taste

Let’s Make It

1. The dressing is a choose your own adventure. I love garlic so I put 10 cloves in. Start with 5 and add as you see fit.

2. Put all dressing ingredients into a blender. Blend them until it’s a smooth consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste.

3. If it’s too sharp, add more mayo and/or honey.

4. Rinse all your greens. Toss the greens in the dressing.

5. Top with edible flowers, carrots and radishes.

FAQ

Q: Can the dressing be made in advance?
A: Absolutely! For our Taylor Swift party, I made our dressing 2 days in advance. It allowed it to really mellow out and flavors to blend together.

Tajin is a magical seasoning salt that I was introduced to while attending Cal State Long Beach. 

Imagine you’ve grown up bouncing between the country where you raised bucket calves and the hoity-toity white suburbs of Kansas City. You know, good home-style cooking, fresh foods from a garden, and eating beef that you grew from a calf (go 4-H!) The Mexican food you know is Tex Mex, and tacos consist of ground beef, iceberg lettuce, and sour cream. Do you get the picture? 

Moving to Long Beach at 18 was not earth-shattering. It was more like the impending slow movement of a glacial river. It’s moving slowly and steadily; before you know it, you’ve gone 2 miles. You’re a different person. And you have a different expectation for tacos (we’ll get into this in another post.) The good ol’ midwest special is still good, but you know what else exists. 

We were hanging out in our suite in the H building. My suite-mates who grew up in south-central LA & San Diego were all chowing down on fruit. One, in particular, was eating fresh mango, watermelon, and pineapple spears. She took the little Tajin shaker and liberally doused her fruit. 

Now listen. 

I’m no stranger to putting salt on my fruit, especially watermelon. My mom, my grandparents, and, I bet, great-great grandpappy Lucius also did it. 

But this stuff was different. 

She handed me a Tajin-covered mango spear. Without hesitation, I ate it, and my world exploded. It was salty (like I liked) but also sweet and spicy and had a little bite!  

From that moment forward, I was a convert.  

Driving through LA, you’ll often see fruit carts on the corners. They chop up the fruit, serve it in a little bag with a small wood toothpick, and douse it with Tajin. You should stop. Stop and get some fruit. You won’t regret it. 

This brings me to how I ended up making my own Tajin. I love very trashy- know it’s trashy- reality TV dating shows. The most recent one that stole my heart was Netflix’s “The Perfect Match.” 

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For the finale, I created a ‘perfect match’ board full of delicious and iconic food pairings. We had cookies and milk, peaches and cream, PB&J, etc. I insisted on mangoes and tajin. My wife, from northwest Missouri, thought it was a strange combo until she tried it.

I had the mango chopped up, and the rest of the board was ready to go, but I had no Tajin. I didn’t have time to head to the store. So instead, I threw it together.

@cookingwithsageLets make some tajin! Home-made Tajin   1-1.5 cups dried peppers (ancho, guajillo) with seeds removed  1-2 limes zested  2-3 tsp kosher salt or sea salt  Let’s make it Carefully remove seeds from peppers.  To deseed dried peppers, cut off the top of the pepper. Insert a small spoon in the pepper and twist the spoon around. Over the trash, turn the pepper upside down to empty it of its seeds. Chop the peppers into large chunks. Zest the limes  Blend until its a fine powder #tajin #cookingwithsage

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Home-made Tajin  

• 1-1.5 cups dried peppers (ancho, guajillo) with seeds removed 

• 1-2 limes zested 

• 2-3 tsp kosher salt or sea salt 

Let’s make it

1. Carefully remove seeds from peppers. 

   1. To deseed dried peppers, cut off the top of the pepper. Insert a small spoon in the pepper and twist the spoon around. Over the trash, turn the pepper upside down to empty it of its seeds.

2. Chop the peppers into large chunks.

3. Zest the limes 

4. Put everything in a food processor or blender. Blend until it’s a fine powder. 

5. Sprinkle on fruit, corn, and whatever you may enjoy! 

6. Store in a small airtight container.

FAQ

How long is this good for?  

It can be stored in the fridge for 5 days. You can also freeze it. You can also dehydrate it, and it will last for 3-6 months. 

The limiting factor is the lime zest. 

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Is this more potato, or is this more salad? That is the question I asked myself as I threw this together. It’s the best of both worlds. I love potatoes. I enjoy salads, but this salad potatoes is next level. 

Chimichurri is a highly versatile sauce that works on meat and vegetables. It can be added to virtually anything. I added it to my Delicata Squash Egg bites, and, wooo, it was so good. 

Chimichurri and potatoes are a match made in heaven. They both hail from South America. Chimichurri is a sharp, spicy green sauce hailing from Argentina. It’s said to have been invented by Gauchos while out herding cattle. 

Chimichurri Potato Salad 

The Salad part

• 1.5-2 lbs Red Potatoes, cut into bite-size pieces

• 1 tsp Kosher Salt

• 12 oz Green Beans (Fresh or Frozen)

• 2 Scallions, finely sliced

• 4 Radishes, finely sliced 

•  2-3 Cups of Spinach or Arugula 

• 1 Lemon, juiced 

ChimiChurri Sauce Part

This will make more than you need for dressing the salad. I use it on almost everything. 

• 1/2 cup good Extra-Virgin Olive Oil 

• 1/2 cup White Wine Vinegar 

• 4-5 cloves Garlic, minced

• 1/2 - 2 teaspoons Red Pepper Flakes, add based on your tolerance 

• 1 tsp Smoked Paprika 

• 1 Cup Fresh Parsley, chopped 

• 1/2 tsp Oregano 

Let’s Make It

1. Bring potatoes in salted water to a slow boil in a large pot. Cook for 10-14 minutes until potatoes can be pierced with a fork. Drain Potatoes and set aside. 

2. While the potatoes are boiling, prepare the chimichurri. Combine it all together in one bowl. Add seasonings as needed. The chimichurri will have a bite. This is good and will work well with the salad. 

3. Now it’s time for the green beans. Fill a large bowl with ice water. This will be used to blanch the green beans after they’ve been cooked. 

4. Refill the pot with more water and bring it to a boil. Drop green beans into boiling water. 

   1. If using fresh green beans, cook for 2 minutes

   2. If using frozen green beans, bring the beans to a simmer and allow to cook for 1-2 minutes

5. Once green beans are cooked, put them into their ice bath! Let them sit for 2 minutes, then drain them on a kitchen towel. 

6. Gently mix all parts (except for chimichurri and lemon) in a large bowl. Add 1/2 of chimichurri and lemon juice into the mix.

7. Taste along the way. Add more chimichurri, salt, and pepper as needed. 

FAQ

What if I want to meal prep this? 

If you want to meal prep, keep the leafy greens separate. Add them before you eat. This prevents the greens from getting soggy. 

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What do you get when you combine Poppy Cook’s viral 15-hour potatoes and Taylor Swift’s RED album… “I’m Feeling 22” potatoes. Absolutely decadent and delicious. 

This dish was the most challenging of all the ones I made for the Era’s party. Do not be stubborn and refuse to “buy a mandolin because single-use kitchen devices are dumb.” You will waste hours attempting to make this 3 times unsuccessfully. If you are going to make this, buy the damn Mandolin. 

Repeat after me: Buy the Damn Mandolin.

Just do it.  

The main difference between Poppy Cook’s 15-hour potatoes and my “I’m Feeling 22” potatoes are: 

1. 22 layers of potatoes 

2. Garlic and rosemary butter VS beef drippings 

3. Plated with Creme Fraiche and chopped chives 

This is a Taylor Swift era’s dinner! The original was extra, and I needed it to be just an eensy-weensy bit more extra. 

With that being said, here is the recipe! 

Tips located below the recipe.

“I’m Feeling 22” Layers of Potatoes

Prep time: A lot

Cook time: 20 mins 

Ingredients

• 3.5 lbs Russet potatoes

• 1 tbsp Rosemary, finely minced

• 5 Garlic cloves, finely minced 

• 1 cup Butter, salted

• 1-2 quarts vegetable oil

• 8 oz Creme Fraiche 

• a bunch of Chives, chopped

1. Part 1:

   1. Peel all potatoes. Line a bread pan or a 13”x 9” casserole dish. Preheat oven to 275F. 

   2. Melt butter in a medium pan over low; toss in rosemary and garlic. Make sure the butter does not burn. After 15 minutes, turn off the heat. 

   3. Using a mandolin (trust me), slice all potatoes very thin. Put all potatoes thins in a clean bowl.

   4. Pour infused butter into the potato bowl. Mix potatoes and butter thoroughly. 

   5. Layer potato thins one by one with the edges overlapping a bit. Do this 22 times over. 

   6. Cover the top of the pan with parchment and bake for 2.5-3 hours.

   7. After you pull the potatoes out, compress the potatoes with cans or dried beans and place potatoes in the fridge for 12 hours or overnight to set.

2. Part 2: 

   1. Heat a pot of oil to 375F. 

   2. While the oil is heating, pull out the potatoes. Flip them upside down onto a cutting board. Gently tap the casserole dish onto a cutting board until the potatoes release. Remove the parchment paper. 

   3. Cut the potatoes into 1-inch cubes. 

   4. Fry potatoes until golden brown and crispy on all sides. This should take 1-2 minutes. 

   5. Let the potatoes cool on a paper towel line plate. 

   6. Serve on a plate with a smear of creme fraiche and topped with chives. 

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Tips

Q: How to kick ass at this recipe so it doesn’t kick your ass?
A: Buy a mandolin. Make it a double recipe (You can freeze the potato cubes).

Q: How can I cook these to be crispy?
A: Make sure your frying pot isn’t too large. On the night of the party, I used my largest stockpot to fry the potatoes. My pot was too large and I struggled with the oil temperature holding over the course of frying up a very large batch of these.

Q: What size of cube should be cut?
A: The smaller the better! I made two different size of potato chunks. 1x2x1 and 1x2x3ish (in inches.) Both were very tasty! but the smaller one cooked faster and was about the right size for a small plate.

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SOME COOL FOOD FACTS

The basis for the soup is a MirePoix. It’s a flavor base common in French cuisine. It is made by cooking down chopped carrots, onions, and celery in a little fat. Traditionally, the mirepoix is cooked low and slow so the vegetables don’t brown. However, in modern American kitchen, we generally opt for a slightly faster version. We compromise the depth of flavor for speed.

One of my favorite things about this recipe is that it is very forgiving. Like most soups, you can dump just about whatever you want into it and it will turn out great. Not only that – you can choose what sort of protein you want as a base. I will outline a few general how-to steps below.

WHAT ELSE CAN I EAT WITH SOUPER FILLING SOUP?

This soup is one of my go-to’s when I don’t feel like cooking for days on end. I often ate it alone or paired it with one of the following: 

• Crusty bread such as baguette, pumpkin-seed brötchen (German bread rolls), or sourdough 

• Salad topped with balsamic vinaigrette 

• Grilled chicken

CAN I MAKE SOUPER FILLING SOUP _____FRIENDLY? 

• Gluten-Free? Nothing in here has gluten.

• Vegetarian? Vegan?  Substitute animal-based protein for beans, seitan, or tofu.

• State of Slim Compliant? Oh hell yes. This is phase 1 compliant. In fact, this soup was perfected during my first phase 1.

  • 1 protein

  • I do not count the olive oil in this recipe because it is 1-2 tbsp for 8 servings.

Souper Filling Soup

This soup is meant to fill you up and keep you full. It combines a classic french mirepoix with loads of veggies, and protein sources.

Servings: 8

Protein

• 1 tbsp Olive Oil

• 2.5 lbs Protein /Diced Chicken Breast/Stew Beef/ Ground Beef/Tofu/Beans cubed (except beans)

The Rest

• 1 tbsp Olive Oil

• 2 White Onion chopped

• 1 Bunch Celery chopped

• 6 Cloves Garlic minced

• 1.5 lbs Carrots chopped

• 8-12 oz Frozen Cauliflower chopped down

• 8-12 oz Frozen Green Beans

• 8 oz Mushroom chopped (Optional)

• 1 Leek chopped (optional)

• 1 Parsnip chopped (optional)

• 4 Bay Leaves

• 4 Sprigs Fresh Parsley

• 32 oz Chicken/Vegetable/Beef Stock match to your protein

• Salt and pepper to taste

• Enough water to cover ingredients

Instructions

The Protein (ignore this step for beans)

1. In a large bowl, toss protein with 1tbsp olive oil, a pinch of salt, and a dash of pepper.

2. Heat an EXTRA large pot to medium. Once it is warm, begin to brown your protein in batches. Make sure not to crowd your pan. Let protein brown for 2-3 minutes before stirring and then cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.

3. Repeat the previous step until all protein is browned. Set meat aside.

4. Sage Tip: Don't Forget the FOND. After cooking protein, there is often a delicious roasty bit on the bottom of the pan called a fond. And you should never waste it. With the pan still on the heat, pour a 1/2-1 cup of water on the pan. Scrape your spoon across the bottom of the pan to get the Fond) off the bottom. Pour the fond water into a bowl on the side for later use.

The SOUP

1. Return the EXTRA LARGE pot to medium heat. Add 1 tbsp olive oil.

2. Bring olive oil up to temperature. Throw a single onion piece in the pot, if it starts sizzling, the oil is ready. If no sizzle, no onion.

3. Cook onions in pan until translucent, about 6-8 minutes.

4. Add in chopped celery and carrots. Season with a pinch of salt. Stir the mixture known as MirePoix occasionally. Allow to cook down for up to 10 minutes.

5. Add in chopped garlic, cook for 2 minutes or until you can smell the garlic 🙂

6. Now, chuck in your protein (animal or plant-based.) Let them mingle for 1-2 minutes in the mirepoix goodness.

7. Next, add cauliflower, green beans, stock, bay leaves, parsley, and top with water until all ingredients are covered.

8. If you have optional veggies, toss them in now.

9. Cover the pot, bring to a simmer, and let simmer for 30 minutes. Occasionally, stirring it.

10. Remove lid and taste test along the way. IF the broth is weak, add bouillon cubes.

11. This should be a light broth, but hearty filling soup.

12. Often, I will let this simmer on my stove for a few hours to encourage the flavors to meld and mix.

Enjoy!

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WHAT IS SHAKSHUKA?

Shakshuka is tomatoes, cumin, allspice, some onion, and spices right? Basic. Simple. It could be a salsa with a $15 dollar price tag. 

For the past two years, I’ve heard many of my friends talk about “Shakshuka.” First, it was my vegetarian friends. Then it was the meat eaters. Then it was on the menu of every trendy brunch spot I visited.  It couldn’t be that great, right?  Oh, how wrong I was.

One Sunday afternoon, I walked down the aisles of Trader Joes when it was there. Shakshuka Starter Kit. I caved. It was time to try this.

I got home. Got distracted. 

I didn’t eat the Shakshuka until about a month later. I followed the instructions. It looked interesting. Mostly like a tomato-y soup 

When I took the first bite, I was blown away. This was the savory breakfast item I didn’t know I had needed in my life prior. Immediately, I looked up tons of recipes. There was the Israeli take, the north-African version, the Palenstinan version and more.  

There is one thing I love almost as much as eating and cooking and that is food history! Learning the history of Shakshuka did not disappoint.

Shakshuka (sometimes spelled shakshouka) has been around the Mediterranean basin for centuries. Generally, shakshuka consists of tomato and chili pepper base with a variety of seasonings added. Like with many food traditions, historians (and grandmas alike) debate how and where shakshuka was originally created. Some argue it originates from Morocco, Tunisia, and, others will say it is from Yemen.

After trying many different versions, I ended up with this.  A Veggie Packed Shakshuka that can be made fresh or meal-prepped in advance.  It’s a great dish to use up any of those pesky leftover bits and bobs in the veggie drawer.  Either way it’s freakin good.   

Storage, reheat directions are located below the recipe.

Veggie Packed Shakshuka

This recipe is packed with flavor! If you find your produce drawer full of bits and bobs, this is the perfect dish to throw extra veggies into.

Servings: 2

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp Olive Oil

• 1 Yellow Onion Minced

• 2 Cloves Garlic Minced

• 1 cup Mushrooms Chopped

• 1 Yellow Bell Pepper Any color will do

• 1 cup Cherry Tomatoes whole or cut

• 15 oz Canned Diced Tomatoes

• 6 Eggs

• Fresh Parsley chopped

Spice Mix

• 1.5 tsp Paprika

• 1/2 tsp Ground Allspice (substitute: equal parts ground cloves, nutmeg, and cinnamon)

• 1/2 tsp Ground Cumin

• Pinch Cayenne Powder

Instructions

Tomato Base

• Heat olive oil in a skillet with a lid at medium-heat.

• Add onion and cook for about 5-7 minutes, until soft. Add garlic. Cook garlic-onion mixture then add spices. Once you start smelling the spices it's time for the next step. Prepare for some stomach rumbles.

• Add in chopped mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, and bell peppers. Cook for an additional 3-4 minutes. Note: You could add any additional veggies you want at this time. I've tried minced cauliflower, zucchini, etc. and it turns out great. If the spices start to burn, add a splash of water.

• Add in canned diced tomatoes and salt. Cover and let simmer for 10-13 minutes. Make sure to stir occasionally.

Egg Portion

• If you a making this ahead of time, cool down the tomate sauce then divide. Bring it back to heat in a pan or microwave then proceed with the following steps.

• Make 4 small holes in the sauce with the back of a spoon. Gently crack an egg into each well. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Cover and reduce the heat to low for 5 minutes.

• Remove from heat. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and paprika.

• Enjoy

• Note: This is a perfect dish to add to a brunch spread. Serve with fresh sourdough bread.

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STORAGE DIRECTIONS

To Meal Prep: I’ve made this a few times as a prepped meal. Once with the full thing cooked in advance and once cooking only the eggs the day of. Both work. Cook as directed. Portion it out and then refrigerate it.

To freeze: Don’t add any egg to it. Cook the saucy goodness, portion into containers, and freeze. Thaw and add in eggs while you reheat. You could store it as TJ’s does. Freeze the saucy goodness for future use. Thaw the sauce then cook eggs as directed.

REHEAT DIRECTIONS

To Reheat from Frozen: Defrost the tomato mixture. Place mixture in an oiled pan and bring to a simmer. Add eggs. You can also reheat in a microwave-safe bowl. Once the mixture is warm, crack the eggs in and zap for one to two more minutes. They should come out delicious.

To Reheat from the Fridge: The same as above without the defrosting piece.

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This corn was inspired and created for the 8-course Taylor Swift Era’s themed dinner party I through recently. For Swifties: this was part of the plate for the country era. Inspired by Taylor’s first three albums: Taylor Swift, Speak Now, and Fearless. What is more country than a delicious corn-on-the-cob? 

First things first: Shuck the Corn 

This may be second nature if you’re like me and grew up shucking corn. However, if you get pre-shucked corn, you can skip this step and get right into the recipe. 

1. Peel off only the outermost leaves. Leave a thin layer of leaves. 

2. Peel back the leaves at the tip of the Cob just enough so you can see 3-4 rows of kernels. 

3. Now it’s time to ‘zipper’ the corn. Grab the top of the leaves and tassel, and pull them down together in one smooth motion. Don’t rip them off the bottom yet.

4. Continue around the corn until it’s done. 

5. Now break off all the leaves, silk, etc. Run your fingers along the Cob and pick out any loose silk threads. 

6. Do your best. Inevitably, silk threads are always left - this is part of the charm of eating corn on the Cob! 

Congratulations! You’ve shucked an ear/s of corn! Now it’s time to get to the good stuff! 

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Second, let’s make it! 

Southern Sweet Corn on the Cob

Prep time: 15 mins 

Cook time: 20 mins 

Ingredients

• 6-8 Sweet Corn on the Cob, cut in half 

• 1 1/2 cups whole milk

• 1/2 cup heavy cream or half-half 

• 1 stick unsalted butter 

• 3 tbsp honey 

• 1/4 cup Cajun seasoning 

• 1 tsp cayenne pepper 

• salt & pepper 

• Garnish: Parsley, Honey, Cajun seasoning 

1. Place all ingredients except garnishes into a large pot on low heat. Add water until the pot is a bit over half full. 

2. Once all butter has melted, and the liquid mixture is warm, increase heat to medium-low to bring corn to a slow simmer for 15 minutes. We do not want the corn to boil.

3. Remove corn from the pot. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley, a dash of cajun seasoning, and a drizzle of honey. 

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Nashville Hot Chicken has gained popularity in the last few years. It’s rare not to come across it on a brunch menu. I mean, what is not to like? Fried, spicy, and sweet! 

Now, if you’re like me and don’t know how to fry things, I have the solution for you! This Nashville Hot Honey (baked) Chicken! It has the crunch of a freshly fried chicken thigh without all the frying. 

Now, I’m not opposed to frying. Deep frying food is a delicious and fast way to cook food. However, I don’t know how to fry food. Seriously. It’s something I aim to get better at in 2023. 

The path to a Nashville Hot Honey (baked) Chicken started for me because I was throwing my wife a birthday party. We had been talking on and off since Red (Taylor’s version) came out about hosting a coursed dinner based on Taylor Swift’s albums. 

This became part of the “Country Era” course to represent Taylor Swift, Fearless, and Speak Now. 

It is now one of my favorite recipes. It’s low cost, high flavor, and just fucking delicious. 

Let’s get to it! 

Recipe: Nashville Hot Honey (baked) Chicken 

Active Time: 45 minutes

Inactive Time: 25 hours 

Ingredients: 

Marinade

• 2 lbs Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs 

• 2 cups Buttermilk 

• 2 teaspoons Kosher Salt 

• 1 teaspoon Fresh Black Pepper 

Chicken 

• 3 cups Crushed Cornflakes (Mid-fine crush) 

• 3 tbsp AP Flour 

• 2 tbsp chopped fresh Thyme 

• 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt 

• EVOO for brushing 

Hot Honey Sauce

• 6 tbsp Butter

• 4 tbsp Honey 

• 3 teaspoon Cayenne Powder (add more if you like it spicy spicy)

• 2 teaspoon Red Chili Flakes (whatever variety you like) 

• 1/2 tsp Chilli Powder 

• 1/2 tsp Smoked Paprika 

• 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder 

The How

The Night Before

1. Place chicken thighs in a bowl or plastic bag and season with salt & pepper. Toss chicken. 

2. Add buttermilk, and toss well. Cover and marinate in the Fridge for 24 hours.

The Day Of

1. Preheat oven to 425F. For easy cleanup, line the baking sheet with parchment paper. 

2. In a large bowl, mix together: crushed cornflakes, flour, thyme, salt, and pepper. 

3. Grab your marinated chicken. Pick up a piece of chicken, and allow buttermilk to drip off. Dredge chicken through cornflake mix. The key is to press the cornflake mix into the chicken. Repeat until all chicken thighs are done. 

4. Place chicken on a baking sheet. Make sure not to clear the pan - give each thigh 1-2” clearance around it. If you have two baking sheets, use them both. Otherwise, work in batches. 

5. Lightly brush chicken with EVOO.

6. Place chicken pan in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes. 

7. While the chicken is baking, it’s time to make the Hot Honey Sauce:

   1. In a small saucepan on low, add butter, apple cider vinegar, honey, cayenne, pepper flakes, chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, and a bit of salt. You want to see small bubbles forming. No rolling boils here. Keep it on low. Otherwise, it will burn or harden. 

   2. Allow to slow simmer for 5-7 minutes. After 7 minutes, turn the burner off and cover the pot. It will stay warm until you’re ready to coat the chicken. 

8. Flip the chicken and cook an additional 10 minutes or until the chicken is done. 

9. Toss or brush the chicken with Hot Honey. Serve and enjoy!