The Best S'mores Recipe - Ultimate S'mores Bar

By Chris Cockren 35 Comments

Classic s'mores are great and all, but if you want to create the best s'mores recipe, you need... the Ultimate S'mores Bar!

Our first week in the new house... and it's starting to come together!

First floor is (almost) completely painted.

Kitchen is unpacked (duh, that was top priority in my mind from day 1).

Now it's on to painting the second floor bedrooms and unpacking all sorts of boxes. Once everything is set up, I'll be sure to share some photos with y'all.

And you better believe we'll be having an end of summer bash. And you know what I'll be serving up all our friends and family for dessert? This Ultimate S'mores Bar.

...because I'm pretty sure that the best s'mores recipe will come out of having all these options at your fingertips.

Top 5 reasons to host an ultimate s'mores bar?

It's a super easy, prep-ahead dessert for easy summer entertaining.
Kids love it.
Adults love it even more.
You'll become a backyard bbq legend within your circle of family and friends.
Seriously, do you need a 5th reason? It's s'mores times 1,000. For realz.

Okay, okay... if you really do need a 5th reason, how about a look at some s'mores options. The say a picture is worth a 1,000 words:

So there you have it. The ultimate s'mores bar.

You put out the toppings. And then let the s'mores artistry begin.

Need some inspiration for your s'mores bar? Check out these 15+ Creative S'mores Recipes!

Southwest Turkey and Roasted Vegetable Meatloaf Sandwich

By Chris Cockren 33 Comments

This post brought to you by Honeysuckle White® and Shady Brook Farms®. All opinions are 100% mine.

Maaaaaah, the meatloaf!!!!

A virtual high five to anyone and everyone that knows what movie that’s from.

Since we are still living with my parents for another few days until the floors are refinished at our new home, I may have yelled Maaaaah, the meatloaf! at least a dozen times while making these Southwest Turkey and Roasted Vegetable Meatloaf Sandwiches.

She didn’t get why I was yelling at her. And when I tried to explain it’s a line from Will Ferrell in Wedding Crashers, we got into a mild debate (not really a debate though, since I’m 100% positive I’m correct) about whether or not Will Ferrell is indeed in the movie.

I thought that was the movie with Vince Vaughn and Owen-what’s-his-name.

Yes it is… and Will Ferrell. IMDB to the rescue.

Sorry, I got sidetracked. So listen, I know meatloaf doesn’t always carry the most positive connotation. People rarely get excited for meatloaf. Case in point, when I asked/urged/demanded Asheley to be my taste tester. She was not enthralled with the idea of a loaf of meat.

But after one bite, her eyes were open to the idea that meatloaf, can indeed, be good eats.

And the process couldn’t be simpler. Roast up some summer veggies. Mix in some Shady Brook Farms ground turkey. A few other common ingredients you probably already have lurking in your fridge. Pop it in the oven, and boom, dinner is served.

In our house, if I want Asheley to try something new, all I need to do is throw some avocado on top. She’ll eat anything if avocado is involved. Or pickles. She loves pickles.

So listen up. Ground turkey is a great alternative during the summer months for backyard grill-outs and get togethers. You can find turkey brats, burgers, tenderloins, and more! It's also a great, healthy protein choice. It's got more protein than beef, less calories than chicken, and less fat than pork. #whoknew

I found Shady Brook Farms® ground turkey at my local grocery store. It's a regional product, though, so it may be called Honeysuckle White® in your area.

Are you a planner like me? Type A friends unite! There's a new Grilling with Friends app on Facebook that lets you plan out every detail of your next grill-out. There's even a menu builder that allows your guests to sign-up to bring food and beverages from your menu! While you are there, enter their sweeps to win a new Weber Grill and $1,000!

And for all you burger lovers out there... check out the new line of gluten-free Turkey Burgers available from Shady Brook Farms® and Honeysuckle White®. They are super easy to prepare and can go from freezer to table in 20 minutes. Look for their six different varieties, including Savory Seasoned, Ready to Season, Cheddar Jalapeno, and Swiss, Bacon & Onion.
For tips and recipes, visit Turkify.com

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Grilling Recipes: Jalapeño Cheddar Sausage Rolls

By Chris Cockren 31 Comments

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #StartYourGrill #CollectiveBias

Anyone else love quick and easy grilling recipes? With the new Hillshire Farm American Craft Sausage, summer dinner has never been easier (especially with these Jalapeño Cheddar Sausage Rolls with Roasted Corn and Avocado Salsa).

Good news! Starting tomorrow, we will be officially living in our new home. There’s definitely a bit of ~~organized~~ unorganized chaos right now. Floors are being sanded and refinished. I’m working on my mediocre spackling skills. And paint. So much darn paint.

Side note: why is paint so expensive?! Aiy aiy aiy.

Needless to say, dinner is kinda the last thing we are thinking about right now. And dinners that require a ton of prep and cooking time? Definitely not on our radar. We need quick, easy, and delicious summer grill recipes.

Thankfully, there’s Hillshire Farm American Craft Sausage to the rescue.

The sausages are already precooked and just needs to be heated through on the grill. And they have some killer flavor options… Smoky Bourbon, Garlic & Onion, and the one we grilled up the other day… Jalapeño Cheddar.

So can I be honest with you? When I was a kid, I was totally not a sausage fan. Don’t judge me. We were all a little dumb in our youth. But now I’m all about the tasty meaty links.

This is not your average sausage. They are hand crafted with the best cuts of 100% pork to deliver exceptional flavor. And you won’t find any nitrates, nitrites, or MSG in these puppies. No way, no how.

Want a flavor overload party? Pair the Jalapeño Cheddar Sausage with this super easy Roasted Corn and Avocado Salsa. Oh heck yes.

I easily found Hillshire Farm American Craft Sausage at my local Stop & Shop grocery store.

15 Creative S'mores Recipes

By Chris Cockren 52 Comments

No backyard bbq is complete without s'mores. And with these 15 Creative S'mores Recipes, your next get together will be legendary!

Guess what?!

I'm 30 today.

It's my birfffday.

I know, I know. It's tough to imagine this sweet baby face is 30 years old. Although I rarely get carded anymore and my elementary students often tell me they think I'm in my 40's (I swear, they have no concept of age), my wife guarantees me that I don't look a day over 29.

It's been a weekend long celebration around here. A special dinner at Torrisi Italian Specialties with Asheley on Saturday. Family party on Sunday. And today... a get together with friends at my fave local Thai restaurant.

But no celebration would be complete without including you guys. You're my people. We understand each other. And I've been saving this post for awhile now, just to share for this very occasion.

We all know s'mores are awesome. But, these smores. Well, let's just say Asheley and I had quite the fantastic time taste-testing these 15 creative s'mores recipes.

1. Candied Bacon S'mores.

Graham cracker + dark chocolate + marshmallow + candied bacon = my new favorite s'more!

Seriously. These Candied Bacon S'mores are salty sweet perfection.

It was my mom's favorite, too. I let her in on the taste-testing also. That's just the kind of sweet, thoughful son I am 😉

And don't let the thought of making candied bacon overwhelm you. It's like chewable . It's ridiculously easy.

Coat some strips of bacon with brown sugar, place on an aluminum foil lined baking sheet, and bake in a 375 - 400°F oven for about 15-25 minutes, until the bacon is crispy. Transfer to some paper towels to cool, and boom... candied bacon.

2. Cookie Butter (Speculoos) S'mores.

I've eaten more speculoos/cookie butter this past year than I probably should admit. For instance...

And that's not counting all the times I just grabbed a quick spoonful 😉

I don't know why I never thought of replacing the chocolate with cookie butter before, but now it's all about making up for lost time. Cookie Butter S'mores are freaking fantastic.

3. Roasted Berries S'mores.

I can't take credit for this genius idea. I saw it on Jelly Toast Blog and had to try it. Well, she's right. It's amazing.

First, have you ever roasted fresh strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries in the oven? It's super easy and the payoff is HUGE. Like, I wanted to bathe in the stuff. It's that good.

And if you can find these waffle cookies in the grocery store, you get bonus points. If not, just use good ole' trusty graham crackers.

My mom was a big fan of these Roasted Berries S'mores. And my mom knows s'mores.

4. Salted Caramel S'mores.

Need I say more? Salted Caramel S'mores.

It's as easy as grabbing your fave caramel sauce (or DIY'ing it if you're that kind of awesomeness) and sprinkling on some seriously flaky sea salt.

5. Samoa Cookie S'mores.

I have to admit, I'm not a coconut fan. But I know people go all ga-ga over those Girl Scout Samoa Cookies. So why not smother some caramel and toasted coconut right up in that toasted marshmallow? Exactly.

6. Chocolate Chip Cookie Nutella S'mores.

Chocolate chip cookies make a great standby for graham crackers. And can we just say nutella for the win? For realz... who needs little squares of chocolate when you can slather on the nutella.

I just may have to make these Chocolate Chip Cookie Nutella S'mores a regular at my backyard grill-outs.

7. Mexican Chocolate S'mores.

Cinnamon + Chili Powder adds just that little punch of flavor that your taste buds want. Really, I swear. Just ask them. They'll tell ya how it is.

8. The Elvis S'mores.

Elvis apparently loved banana, peanut butter, and bacon sandwiches. So my guess is that he would of loved these s'mores, too.

9. Chocolate Covered Potato Chip S'mores.

Have you ever had a chocolate covered potato chip? You should. Go ahead, pause this and treat yourself immediately. I'll wait.

:: waiting ::

Okay, now that your mind is blown, blow it again by making these Chocolate Covered Potato Chip S'mores.

10. Chocolate Covered Pretzel S'mores.

C'mon, you had to have seen this coming. Chocolate Covered Pretzel S'mores are equally amazing.

Light bulb. What if you did potato chips AND pretzels all on one?! Uhm, #forthewin.

11. Rice Krispies Treat S'mores.

Asheley LOVES rices krispie treats. She may or may not of (she did) eat the entire pan of rice krispie treats within 24 hours.

And Asheley was the official taste tester of this Rice Krispies Treat S'mores. Her expert reccomendation? Do an open-faced s'more on this one.

And my recommendation... make the rice krispie treats as thin as possible. It makes the s'mores eating process a whole lot easier 🙂

12. Oreo Cookie S'mores.

My dad was all about these Oreo Cookie S'mores. And the marshmallow is the perfect size for an oreo. It's like it was meant to be.

13. Reese Peanut Butter Cup S'mores.

Now I went ahead and cut that PB Cup in half lengthwise , but feel free to just slap one on there whole. Looks like the classic fluffernutter just got a facelift... Reese's Peanut Butter Cup S'mores. #boom

14. Snickers S'mores.

So pretty much any candy will work in place of chocolate. Like snickers. Hungry? Why wait.

15. Milky Way S'mores.

And the trusty Milky Way of course works well, too. Quick tip: freeze the candy bar for a bit before trying to slice lengthwise. It'll make it easier to get a clean cut.

16. Kit Kat S'mores.

And probably my favorite candy bar... the Kit Kat. It adds an extra layer of crispy crunchy goodness and totally ups the overall s'mores enjoyment factor.

Other candy ideas:

Almond Joy
Peppermint Patty
Twix
Nestle's Crunch
Rolos

Blueberry Greek Yogurt Popsicles

By Chris Cockren 60 Comments

These Blueberry Greek Yogurt Popsicles are a healthy frozen treat to cool down while slimming down this summer!

It's official. My clothes shrunk. I don't know how, I don't know why, but it happened.

Either that, or all that surplus eating I've been doing has finally caught up to me. Remember that operation stop being a fatty I was on back in the winter. Well, it had an adverse side effect. I became a fatty.

So although summertime is pretty much the worst time every to try to eat better and lose some fattiness, it's a necessity.

Don't get me wrong. I'll still be indulging here and there (and there and there and there). But hey, maybe I'll actually put one leg in front of the other for an extended period of time now and again. I believe normal people call that exercise.

And everyday summer eating? It's time to make some better choices. Good news? These Blueberry Greek Yogurt Popsicles are a way to indulge without actually indulging all that much. Heck, I may have even had one for breakfast after a recent run (very light jog).

Don't have a popsicle mold yet? C'mon, treat yourself. You deserve it 😉

This is the popsicle mold that I currently own and am loving.

And listen, once you make these bad boys, feel free to get a bit crazy and try these Peach Blueberry Margarita Popsicles on for size.

And listen, in the grand scheme of things, these popsicles are a relatively healthy snack or dessert. Heck, maybe not for a superman triathlete like my man Mike.

But for a guy that is one step short of brushing his teeth with milkshakes, I'll take these Blueberry Greek Yogurt Popsicles any day as a healthy alternative 🙂

Hey. Guess what? You can now have your very own personal recipe box! To save this recipe, simply click save below the thumbnail image below? Once you start storing all your favorite recipes from around the interwebs in your Recipe Box, you can create Meal Plans and the ingredients will automatically be added to your Grocery List! Download the app to your phone and boom, welcome to the 21st century age of grocery shopping

Ready to up your popsicle game? Try out these Peach Blueberry Margarita Popsicles!

How To Grind Your Own Burger: The Fat Tyler

By Chris Cockren 38 Comments

Learn how to grind your own burger and take your backyard bbq to the next level of epicness! Your very own DIY designer burgers will be sure to impress!

You've met Tyler, right?

Of course you have.

He's a great friend. The techie-brains-designer of Shared Appetite. And he's my partner in crime for our wedding photography business, Ashe Photography Studio.

Little known fact. Tyler won the Pinewood Derby as a kid. It's his claim to fame.

But he doesn't just have one award on the mantle. No way. The dude's talented. Like, just-won-a-very-fierce-burger-competition talented. That's right. Granted, it was a contest among his friends. More of a backyard bbq get-together. But still, it was crazy competitive.

And what secret recipe earned him the title of King of the Burger?

That's right... the Fat Tyler.

There he is. And for those of you who know Tyler, that little smirk on his face is actually a HUGE smile. And he did it just for you. Be impressed. Feel special.

Tyler has a few culinary obsessions...

First, he built himself a wood-fired oven in the backyard. It gets to like 1,000 degress. No, that's not figurative... literally 1,000 degrees. He cooks up some hashtag legit pizza in that thing.

He also just got his hands on a sous vide machine for his birthday. Tyler's working on perfecting steak and soft-boiled eggs as we speak.

And what we're here to celebrate today... How To Grind Your Own Burger: The Fat Tyler.

So let's break it down...

That's the slaw. It's tangy-mustardy-spicy crunchness in a bowl. It's a bit in yo' face by itself, but when slathered on a juicy, rich beef patty... hello flavor party in your mouth.

And now let's talk about grinding your own designer burgers. Why? Because it's cool. And right now, artisan/small-batch/DIY is all the rage. And we want to act cool and be a part of the rage.

You have 2 options for creating your own DIY burger. First, have the butcher grind the meat for you. That'll probably work for you if you:

have an awesome butcher
have a good relationship with your butcher
are a butcher
know somebody that is a butcher

But your local dingy grocery store meat department probably isn't going to do it for you. And if they do, that's amazing and you live in a much nicer, caring part of the world then NYC. But NYC still rocks and I wouldn't trade it for your super nice meat department butcher anyway.

The other option, and the more fun option, is to grind the meat at home with your KitchenAid Food Grinder Attachment. Just make sure you use the larger "coarse" dial.

And a word of warning... sometimes the grinder likes to splurt out some meat juice. Yea, kinda gross. We just held a disposable plastic cup close to the dial (with enough room for the meat to fall out into the bowl) and that caught all the juices. Make sure you plan accordingly. I'd hate for your kitchen to look like a scene from Dexter.

And remember, you don't want to pack the meat tight. That's one way to guarantee a compact, tough burger. Handle it with care. Treat it with some TLC. Talk sweet nothings into its ear (don't do that).

And do yourself a favor and make a tiny depression in the middle of each patty with your thumb. Burgers tend to puff in the middle as they cook, so that indentation helps to make the patty stay flat.

And then boom, cook up those burgers and you have yourself a Fat Tyler.

Now, for it to be a certified Fat Tyler burger, you need a couple things:

a mix of sirloin, short rib, and brisket for your burger blend
the spicy-tangy-mustardy slaw in the recipe below
a brioche bun
melted cheddar or american cheese
cooked to a perfect medium-rare... medium maybe. Maybe.

Nothing more, nothing less. The man is particular about his burger.

And listen, for the record, no... it's not called a Fat Tyler because he's fat. That's just a complete coincidence. This burger is actually Tyler's riff on Michael Symon's famed burger, the Fat Doug.

Southwestern Cauliflower Crust Pizza (Chopped Cooking Challenge)

By Chris Cockren 70 Comments

A creative and healthy gluten-free recipe for Southwestern Cauliflower Crust Pizza.

Asheley and I get on these binges where we will watch like 3 4 5 ~~an all-day marathon~~ a few episodes of Chopped. For those of you not familiar with the show, four contestants are presented with a basket of 4 ridiculously random ingredients and have a short window of time to come up with and execute a creative dish. Three judges then critique the dishes and send someone home after each round, until one victor remains with a $10K check.

Now, unfortunately there is no $10K check being awarded today, but YOU get to be the judge. That's right, YOU get to be Alex Guarnaschelli. Chris Santos. Aaron Sanchez. Scott Conant. or Geoffrey Zakarian. Actually sorry, Asheley just said she calls dibs on Geoffrey Zakarian. She has a pretty gigantic crush on the silver fox. Can't say that I blame her either.

Welcome to the Chopped Cooking Challenge: Food Blog Edition 🙂

So, let me present to you the contestants....

For the inaugural Chopped Cooking Challenge: Food Blog Edition, I wanted to invite my good buddies from the dude blogosphere. Welcome Mike, David, and Sean.

All 3 of these guys have amazing blogs and if you don't already follow them, you need to. A brief intro about them...

Mike from The Iron You lives in NYC. He's into all that triathlon, exercising, paleo-esque living sorta crap. You know, he's that healthy friend that gives you the judgemental look as your scarfing down a hot dog with a side of ice cream. But really, he has some super unique and healthy recipes on his blog that I'm always crazy impressed with.

David from Spiced Blog is our brotha from New York-tucky (i.e. upstate). The dude comes up with some pretty creative recipes, and is a wizard at grilling and homemade ice cream making. I keep asking him to ship me some ice cream, but he never does. Jerk.

Sean from Snack Fixation also lives in NYC and is your go-to guy for all things snacks. The dude reviews all sorts of delicious snacky-deliciousness and also posts some of his own recipes here and there. You need to check out his instagram to keep up with all the amazing stuff the man eats around the city.

Okay, so today's basket....

Avocado. Sriracha. Mortadella. Cauliflower.

Yea, I know. Not a basket of ingredients you typically see together. But we dudes each came up with a recipe for you utilizing these 4 ingredients.

You obviously know mine. It's this Southwestern Cauliflower Crust Pizza.

Mike @ The Iron You made... Cauliflower Crust Mortadella and Cheese Panini

David @ Spiced Blog made... Fried Cauliflower with Spicy Avocado Cream

Sean @ Snack Fixation made... Spicy Mortadella Pasta Salad

So now it's time for you to decide. Who's the victor?

And just a note for my recipe here...

I used mortadella because, well, I had to. It was a basket ingredient. Feel free to substitue grilled chicken/steak, cooked ground beef, or just leave the meat out and make it vegetarian 🙂

Watermelon Lime Sparkling Agua Fresca #SparkleWithDASANI

By Chris Cockren 11 Comments

This post is sponsored by Dasani. All opinions expressed herein are my own. #ad #SparkleWithDASANI

This Watermelon Lime Sparkling Agua Fresca is a cool and refreshing summertime drink that's super quick and easy to put together.

I know I keep harping on this, but I love summer, and not just because I get these two months off every year. Although, let's face it, that's a huge perk 😉

For me, summer is about so many things that bring me happiness and joy. Spending time with family. Reconnecting with friends. Finally seeing my wife for an extended period of time (during the school year, we somehow rarely see each other since our work schedules are kinda opposite).

Backyard bbqs. Trips to the city for eating adventures. Celebrating our anniversary and my birthday (I'm going to be 30 in a couple weeks!). Don't worry, I only act like I'm about 12 years old, so if you take the average of those two numbers, I'm still in my twenties 🙂

S'mores. Margaritas. Grilling. Lots of grilling.

Summertime = Happy Time.

So listen. Dasani wants to know what makes you happy? What makes you sparkle?

They have a pretty awesome contest happening right now and YOU can totally win a Sparkling Getaway to the Westin Diplomat in Ft. Lauderdale. It includes airfare, hotel, and spa treatments for 4.

How do I enter this awesome contest?!

Great question. All you need to do is upload a photo of what makes you sparkle to twitter and/or instagram and include the hashtag #SparkleWithDasani. And don't forget to follow @dasaniwater so they can contact you if you win 🙂

I hope you win. That would make me happy. Just make sure to send me a postcard and cool souvenir.

Winner will be selected in early August.

Do you know what else makes me happy? Summertime drinks. There's nothing better than a cold, refreshing, fruity drink during the summer.

Asheley is obsessed with watermelon throughout the summer. Since I'm a good husband, I made this Watermelon Lime Sparkling Agua Fresca for her, using Dasani's new sparkling water. It's super, ridiculously easy to whip up and literally tastes like summer in a glass.

And we all know... a happy wife is a happy life 🙂

Sweet Potato Bacon Salad

By Chris Cockren 64 Comments

A creative backyard bbq side dish that will awaken your taste buds and make you a legend among friends. This Sweet Potato Bacon Salad is sure to impress!

You might remember way back when Steve + I went on our top secret eating adventure while shopping for Valerie's engagement ring. Well, guess what? Our really, really, really, really great friends Steve + Valerie are now MARRIED!

It was a most memorable July 4th filled with laughter, joy, and love. And rain. Lots of rain. But Steve + Val had a great attitude and didn't let the drops damper their special day.

I was super honored to be a best man along with our other friend Dave, and to make it an extra interesting day, our company Ashe Photography Studio also photographed the wedding. If you want to see a sneak peak of some photos from their day and also view a cool slideshow I put together, check out our facebook page.

AND, today is Valerie's birthday! #wootwoot. Happy Birthday Valerie!

::smooth segue into this sweet potato bacon salad::

Actually, there is a smooth segue thank you very much. Valerie absolutely adores this Sweet Potato Bacon Salad. Anytime she comes over throughout the summer, she ~~hopes~~ ~~expects~~ demands that this salad be on the table.

And you know what? Valerie has good taste. I think you'll really dig this creative potato salad also, because it's filled with bacon flavor... even throughout the dressing, and it's studded with the potato's big flavored friend. The almighty sweet potato.

Big thanks to Asheley, my hand model. I think she has a future career in hand modeling, don't you?

You know, if the whole saving lives and healing people as a PA thing doesn't work out.

Mexican Street Corn Croquettes

By Chris Cockren 77 Comments

This #MatchMadeInHeaven partner post is sponsored by Rioja Wine and Honest Cooking. All views and opinions, as well as the fun and creative tapas recipe for Mexican Street Corn Crequettes herein, are completely my own. #RiojaBuzz

Talk about a match made in heaven. This recipe just might combine three of my favorite things. First of all, my favorite type of eating involves grazing. A little of this, a little of that.

Small plates. Appetizers. Tapas.

Whatever you call them, I love it. Variety in eating and passing around all sorts of tapas with friends is where it's at.

And let's talk about my love of corn. Hashtag obsessed. I will literally eat it any chance I get. Southwest style. In wontons. In hot soup. Or cold soup. With basil in a side salad. And heck, even in ice cream with caramel-candied bacon. Yea, it's that kinda love.

Finally, what's better on a warm summer day than hanging out with friends with a bunch of tapas and a cold bottle of rosé wine? No seriously, tell me. What's better? I want to know.

For me, summertime is all about rosé. Excuse me, rosado. I forgot that we're talking about tapas today. It's all about authenticity, people.

So rosados... They are crisp, light, and totally refreshing. And with all the heat going on lately here in New York, crisp, light, and refreshing sounds pretty darn good.

Rioja Wines come from the La Rioja region in North Central Spain. They are extremely food-friendly and can pair with everything from fish and meat to veggies and cheese. Perfect for a tapas-style party, when you want to serve all different types of food 🙂

I easily found a nice selection of Rioja reds, whites, and rosés in my local wine shop. You'll know it's a true deal Rioja Wine by it's official seal on the bottle. And best part? Rioja wines are a great value for everyday occasions. Most are priced right around $15! #winning

Mexican Street Corn Fritters

And these croquettes. I think I'm in love. Obviously because they involve corn, but it's so much more than that. I'm a big fan of elotes, or mexican street corn. The corn is charred on the grill. It's cheesy and creamy. And it packs a flavor punch that does an instant flavor party in my mouth.

If I can be completely honest, I had no idea what kind of tapas I was going to make right up to the point I was driving home with my wine. I was a blank slate. A tabula rasa.

But then it came to me. A glorious vision. My heart raced. My palms got sweaty. What if we turn mexican street corn into handheld croquettes?! Uhm, yes, that needed to happen. And happen they did.

Just a little warning. These croquettes are mighty fragile. It's really important to freeze them right before frying so that way they don't completely fall apart while cooking. And when ready to fry, gently lower the fritters in the oil and don't try wiggling them around... they don't like that and will crumble. After turning golden brown and crispy, quickly and carefully transfer to a paper-towel lined plate and as they cool, the fritters will set up nicely for you. And then you can devour like crazy 😉

Stay connected to your favorite wine region by joining the Rioja Wine mailing list. It’s fast and simple! Just click on the banner above and fill out the form. You’ll automatically be entered for a chance to win a festive wine dinner. Good luck!

Budget Friendly Meals: Macaroni and Cheese Topped Hot Dogs

By Chris Cockren 50 Comments

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone, as is this creative and budget-friendly summer grilling recipe for Macaroni and Cheese Topped Hot Dogs!

Ah, summer meals. It's a time to kick back, relax, and get a little bit crazy. For Asheley, that means hot dogs and roasted marshmallows for days. She would literally be content to feast on simple dinners consistenting solely of hot dogs schmeared generously with mustard every single day if she could.

It has to be with mustard. A lot of mustard. Not dijon. Not spicy brown. Just regular yellow mustard. No exceptions.

Now I love me a good hot dog as well, but I prefer to get a little more wacky and creative in my approach. I've been loving these Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Popper Hot Dogs lately (and I've even gotten my mom on board with those hot dogs, a self-professed hot dog hater), but now it's time to step it up a notch.

Whenever my 3-year-old niece comes over for dinner, she always feasts on one of those Kraft macaroni and cheese single-serving dinner cups. She never eats the whole thing, so her father (and my older brother) waits patiently until she's done so he can devour the rest. Not gonna lie, I'm always a bit jealous. Because really, who doesn't love mac n' cheese?!

And that got me thinking... why should kids have all the fun? It's good enough for the whole family... small kids and big kids (like myself) alike. Your family is totally going to love these Macaroni and Cheese Topped Hot Dogs, because hello... they are macaroni and cheese topped hot dogs. Duh.

One of the great things about being a teacher... summer vacation. I don't want to keep rubbing it in and all, but these 2 months off are pure bliss. I literally don't even know what day it is today. Monday? Thursday? Who cares... I'm off 🙂

Here's the dangerous part of being on summer vacation for 2 months. You get a little loosey-goosey with spending. A little treat there. A splurge here. Going out with friends a whole heck of a lot. And then you look at your bank account and wonder... did someone steal my identity and get access to my bank account?! No, no they didn't Chris. You just love spending a little bit too much money in the summer.

And maybe you have similiar financial constraints come the 1st and 15th of the month, when your budget gets mighty tight. Luckily budget friendly meals like these macaroni and cheese topped hot dogs totally come in handy when summer finances get a little tight 🙂

Oh heck yes...

An easy way to save a few bucks? Look for Kraft items on rollback at your local Walmart. #RollIntoSavings #CollectiveBias

Peach Blueberry Margarita Popsicles

By Chris Cockren 90 Comments

Ahhhh. My alarm clock is officially turned off for the next 2 months. Hello summer vacation.

Listen. It's not all fun and games. I have plenty to keep me busy. BBQs to attend. Friends to hang out with. Naps to take. It's hard work 😉

Actually, I do have many goals for this summer. The biggest one will be moving into and decorating the new house. I'm super pumped about that. I actually enjoy furniture shopping and picking out paint colors. I know, I'm a rare specimen.

Another goal? Cooking up a ton. It's something that kinda gets neglected at the end of every school year thanks to concert season craziness. But now that it's summer time... I'm gonna lock my butt in the kitchen and get to work.

First up... popsicles.

I just scored this popsicle mold and was super excited to try out some ice pop fun.

This recipe by Food & Wine totally caught my eye because I'm a sucker for the peach - tequila flavor combo. It reminds me so much of these super easy summer margaritas. And if there is one summer drink I'm all in for... it's margaritas.

And hey, listen, if you've got any kick-butt popsicle recipes, send them my way por favor! Let me know in the comments below. I'd love to try them out 🙂

$200 Amazon Giveaway + Wandering Blog Tour

By Chris Cockren 15 Comments

One of my favorite aspects of food blogging? Making friends.

I never thought that when I started posting a few recipes and restaurant reviews all that time ago that I would soon connect with such talented, supportive, and genuinely awesome human beings.

None of us have actually met (a small technicality, really), but I truly consider them my friends. And today I want to celebrate a few of my buddies. And I think you'll want to celebrate with us, because we are giving away a $200 Amazon Gift Card!

Melanie over at Carmel Moments is celebrating 1 year of blogging! Can we all give Melanie one huge, collective high five?

To celebrate her 1st Blogiversary, she got together some of her blogging buds and we're doing this mass giveaway for you 🙂 I mean, c'mon, how cool is that? It's her blogiversary and she's giving you a gift!! A $200 gift!

Here's my fellow food bloggers that are participating in this giveaway. They are all pretty awesome, so if you get the chance, check 'em out!

Baking a Moment

Brunch Time Baker

Carmel Moments

Chelsea's Messy Apron

Cooking for Keeps

Cooking on the Front Burner

Shared Appetite - Oooo, hey, that's me!

Spicy Southern Kitchen

Yummy Healthy Easy

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway: Eligible to one (1) winner residing in one of the 48 contiguous states. Must be 18 years of age to enter giveaway. Starts 12 am 6/20/2014 (EST time) and ends 12 am 7/4/2014 (EST time). To enter the giveaway, you must participate in at minimum, one of the listed entries in the widget and an email address must be provided. Winner will be announced via email and must respond to the subject line: “Congratulations! You’ve Won Carmel Moment’s Amazon Gift Card Giveaway” from carmelmoments@outlook.com within 24 hours of deliverance. Failure to respond will forfeit your chance in winning and a new winner will be chosen. I will send the giftcard electronically to chosen winner. Please be advised items may appear different from the photo shown. Carmel Moments and its owner are not held responsible for missing/broken items received by the winner. Good luck and thank you for your entries. There will be more fun recipes, as well as giveaways coming soon! See more at http://carmelmoments.com

Wandering Blog Tour.

Wait. We're not done celebrating yet.

Put back on that party hat and be happy, darnit.

Stop complaining! This is a celebration!

That's better, thank you.

Us food bloggers like to give each other recognition from time to time. It's just the kind, generous, good-natured type of people we are. That's how we roll.

My super awesome dude blogging buddy David from Spiced Blog invited me on board this Wandering Food Tour (thanks David!!), so here's the deal...

I'm going to answer a few required questions below about myself and behind-the-scenes Shared Appetite stuff. Then, I'm going to invite 3 of my other food blogging friends to get in on the action. They'll then have to answer these questions next week and invite 3 new people. Get it? Good.

1. What am I working on?

I have to admit. I've been wearing myself a bit thin lately. My actual job has been pretty nuts lately. I'm a full-time elementary music teacher (I teach band, to be exact) in a public school. May and June are our 2 busiest months with concerts, music festivals, recruitment, and collecting/cleaning instruments and doing inventory and ordering for next year. Luckily today is the last day of the school year! Can I get a woot?!

Beside the whole regular job thing, my super good buddy Tyler + I created an engagement and wedding photography business that we are really excited about and proud of. It's called Ashe Photography Studio. We've been booked solid every weekend with engagement sessions and have a pretty great lineup of weddings booked for this summer already. Weeknights are typically spent editing photos for our clients. And hey, shameless plug... it would be great if you followed us on Facebook and Instagram! 😉

Asheley + I are also in the process of moving. We sold our house at the end of May and our new home will be ready to move in by the end of July. We are currently crashing my parents house. Big thanks to them!

Oh yea, and Shared Appetite. That little thing. Tyler + I just finished our redesign not to long ago. Right now we are working on optimizing ads and doing better at SEO, and of course... creating new content. It's been a slow go on that front lately just because of my crazy schedule, but now that summer vacation is here, I'll be cooking and photographing up a storm!

2. How does my work differ from others of its genre?

Honestly, I don't have a specific niche. Some of my recipes are dude food. Others are gluten-free. Or vegan. Heck, even some paleo-friendly stuff. I cook what I feel like making. What I want to eat... and sometimes what I know Asheley will want to eat 😉

The biggest thing that probably sets me apart? I'm a dude. Plain and simple. There aren't many of us, but we're hiding out there in the vast interwebs. Case in point. David. Mike. Sean. Bill. Hey fellow dudes!

3. Why do I write what I do?

Sometimes I like to just fill you in on what's going on in the life of Chris. Sometimes I want to get people excited about a recipe or a new nerdy kitchen gadget I picked up. And honestly, sometimes I try (a little too hard) to make people laugh and to be as witty as possible. Unfortunately, I'm still working on that last one. I'm not that funny. Just ask my wife.

But above all, my goal is simple. Share a love of food with others. The favorite part of my day?

...besides seeing my wife, of course ::ahem::

The favorite part of my day is when someone lets me know that they made one of my recipes for their loved ones and it was a huge hit. Like, that makes me smile every time. What's better than knowing your food made someone else happy?! No seriously. Tell me. What's better?

4. How does my writing process work?

It usually goes like this...

Wow, I have 10 free minutes. Let's write. Oh crap, I have nothing to say.

...check facebook. instagram. twitter. pinterest. facebook again.

Ok, let's try to write again.

repeat.

And then, at like the weirdest hours, I get all my writing done. It's when I feel the most creative for some reason.

I wake up every day around 6/6:30am. Yup, I'm one of those super annoying morning people. I don't drink coffee. I'm just naturally caffeinated. That gives me a solid hour before work to catch up on responding to comments, writing posts, etc.

When Asheley has to work (she's a PA in a hospital ER), she works until midnight... which means she gets home at 1am. I try to wait up for her. That means I have a lot of time to write. And check facebook.

I don't sit down and write an entire post all at once. It takes several days and many, many hours. A typical post, including creating the recipe, photographing, editing photos, and writing the actual post takes about 10-15 hours. Yep, I'm serious.

------------------------------------

Wasn't that fun? Now it's my turn to pass the torch. Here are 3 food-blogging friends I would love for you to meet. They are going to do the same exact thing next Friday... answer the above questions and invite 3 of their blogging friends to the party!

Christine @ Cooking with Cakes

Christine is awesome for several reasons. First, she lives in NYC. Automatic coolness factor. Second, she's the first food blogger that consistently makes me laugh out loud. Like literally full out laughter. She is incredibly witty and the stuff she comes up with are mind-blowingly funny. She's got a knack for coming up with crazy-awesome sounding recipes too... Boozy Queso Blanco Dip or Bourbon, Bacon, and Brown Sugar Monkey Bread anyone?!

Nicole @ Cooking for Keeps

Nicole and I have a serious connection. We both LOVE all foods Mexican and Tex-Mex. Like, I thought I was the only one that loved Mexican food this much. It makes me happy that she not only shares in my obsession, but quite possibly takes it to a whole new level of awesomeness. Case in point... these Fajita Chicken Sliders with 3 Ingredient Poblano Queso and this Guacamole with Shrimp, Pineapple, and Bacon. She also has the amazing talent of lightening up tons of mouthwatering recipes so we can all be a little bit healthier without sacrificing flavor.

Ashley @ Cookie Monster Cooking

Ashley. She shares the same name as my wife. She has cookie monster in the name of her blog. She's got an adorable puppy. I could keep going, but bottom line... Ashley is super cool. I always look forward to her new recipes. She comes up with such creative stuff that makes me slam my head against the wall and wonder why I never thought of it first. For instance, she just posted this Watermelon Salad with Sriracha Vinaigrette. Or what about this Roasted Sweet Potato and Brown Butter Flatbreads?! Uhm... yum!

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So there you have it! Tons of celebrating today! Did you enter the $200 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway?!?! I hope so. It's Amazon!!!! You can literally buy like, anything you want on Amazon!

Baked Red Velvet Donut Holes with Cream Cheese Glaze

By Chris Cockren 101 Comments

You'll totally fall in love with these Baked Red Velvet Donut Holes with Cream Cheese Glaze, because really, what's better than an excuse for eating red velvet anything at breakfast?

Ugh. Problems on the new house front. Looks like it may take a few more weeks than we originally planned. The sellers are dragging their feet with moving out. I'm thinking about volunteering to go on over there with some empty boxes to get their butts in gear.

Anyway, it's times like this that I'm very grateful that I decided not to pack up my donut pan and instead brought it with us to my parents house for our longer-than-intended temporary stay.

So let's talk donuts. Doughnuts. (bonus points if you spell it doughnuts).

My break-out moment as a chef de doughnuts were these Baked Brown Butter Churro Donuts. And then was awarded 4 stars by critically-acclaimed donut reviewer Asheley (who also happens to be my wife) for these Baked Horchata Glazed Donuts.

And after falling totally in love with my donut pan, I had my eye on this super cool donut hole pan.

And guess what? I treated myself. And so should you. Go ahead, you deserve it. Get yourself involved with this baked donut love.

Not gonna lie. I had to make these donuts a couples times for you.

I know. You're welcome. It's a pretty painful process having to taste test donuts. I blame my sudden and unexplained weight gain on you.

So guess what the secret was to making sure these bad boys stayed moist? Greek yogurt. I learned the trick from my fellow NY blogging buddy Cate over ate Chez Catey Lou. She's got all sort of donut recipes on her blog. Thanks Cate 😉

Making baked donuts literally only takes 10 minutes of prep. And everyone has 10 minutes.

10 minutes to exercise... err, maybe not.

10 minutes to make donuts, heck yes.

These bad boys have been slightly adapted from the awesome and super talented Kelly at Life Made Sweeter. Seriously, if you aren't following Kelly yet, you should totally start. She's awesome.

Hey. Guess what? You can now have your very own personal recipe box! To save this recipe, simply click save below the thumbnail image below? Once you start storing all your favorite recipes from around the interwebs in your Recipe Box, you can create Meal Plans and the ingredients will automatically be added to your Grocery List! Download the app to your phone and boom, welcome to the 21st century age of grocery shopping 🙂

Want to make the donut-creating process extra easy? Use an electric mixer of sorts. Stand mixer. Check. Hand mixer. Check. Either way, you're clear for the win. And guess who's giving away both a stand mixer AND a hand mixer today? 😉

Big thanks to Hamilton Beach for sponsoring this giveaway! Their stand mixers and hand mixers are fantastic and make baking super easy! Their Soft Scrape 6 Speed Hand Mixer allows you to mix without having to stop and scrape the bowl. Its convenient snap on storage case means you will never misplace your attachments again and because the beaters are coated, you can mix right in your pan and not worry about scratching your cookware! The 6 Speed Stand Mixer has a powerful 300 watt motor and is perfect for all your baking and bread-making needs! Both come from the company that has been making mixers for over 90 years!

Disclosure: I received both a Hamilton Beach Stand Mixer and Hand Mixer to test out for this giveaway. As always, all opinions and views, as well as this recipe, are my own.

Raan Thai Food Photography Shoot

By Chris Cockren 47 Comments

Food photography.

I love it. Love learning about it. Love practicing. Love experimenting and trying new things.

I was super stoked (is that even a word that someone from NY is allowed to use?) to photograph a few of the menu items for my favorite Thai restaurant. They were finally taking the plunge and having a website built (from Shared Appetite's very own... Tyler!) and asked me to photograph some of their signature dishes.

It was both a LOT of fun and a bit stressful being out of my normal photography studio area I have set up at the house. Different lighting conditions, relinquishing a lot of control of food styling to her kitchen staff, and only having access to a limited amount of props made it a really cool learning experience for me. At the end of the day, you gotta get the shot 🙂

Best part though? Eating all the food after. Well, that and seeing the satisfaction and excitement on the owner's eyes when she saw all the images of her food. She's used to just taking photos with her cell phone with flash. Yea, I know.

Here's a sneak peak of a few photos from the day...

By the way. In case you are wondering what the greatest dessert in the history of all time is? It's this black sticky rice with Thai custard. Hands down. It's... perfect.

Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Popper Hot Dogs

By Chris Cockren 70 Comments

Dressing? It's not just for summer salad recipes. Transform your Kraft ranch dressing into 2 easy condiments for these irresistible Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Popper Hot Dogs.

Fact. Summer isn't quite summer without hot dogs.

Fact. Asheley is my very own personal Kobayashi when it comes to hot dogs. She absolutely loves them. Bun optional.

Crif Dogs, one of our favorite little shops in NYC's East Village, has these super creative hot dogs with unique loaded-up flavor toppings. Our two faves? One is topped with sour cream and avocado. The other is smothered with fresh pineapple, scallions, and a sweet and sticky teriyaki glaze.

Oh, and they are bacon-wrapped. Did I forget to mention that part? That's pork on pork action right there. #bowchickawowwow

So this summer, I'm going to be upping my grilling game. Step number 1... these Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeno Popper Hot Dogs.

And I think you are totally going to love these, because besides being super easy to whip up and working overtime in the flavor department, they are going to take your backyard bbq from ordinary to legendary.

I'm a big fan of jalapeno poppers.

Exhibit A: Bacon-Wrapped Buffalo Chicken Jalapeno Poppers

Exhibit B: Stuffed Jalapeno Popper Bacon Cheeseburger

Hahaha... uhm, apparently I'm also a wee-bit into bacon.

Can I just tell you...

My mom is totally not into hot dogs. It's okay... we'll forgive her.

But she was totally into these. Especially the two condiments. Barbecue Ranch and Avocado Ranch.

Little does she know they are ridiculously easy. Like, so easy, it's laughable.... thanks to Kraft Ranch 🙂

And speaking of this dressing, the new Kraft Pourables are totally sporting a new and improved taste. The Classic Ranch is now extra creamy, with more buttermilk and savory herbs. Which, bottom line, equals a better stuff-in-your-face experience!

And hey... since this is such an epic hot dog, I think it deserves my very first .gif

This is a big Shared Appetite moment...

By the way, house update time.

You know that we sold our house and are currently waiting to close on our new home. That should be in about 2 or 3 weeks! Asheley and I are beyond excited!

And you better freaking believe that once we are all moved into the new digs, we are serving up these hot dogs at the inaugural backyard bbq.

Oh, haha... silly me. Did I forget to mention that I did this little cool video? Big thanks to Tyler for being the behind the scenes dude. I owe you big time. Can I pay you in hot dogs?

I stocked up on all my Kraft essentials, including Kraft Pourables Classic Ranch Dressing, Philly Cream Cheese, Kraft Shredded Cheese, Kraft BBQ Sauce, and Oscar Meyer hot dogs at Walmart. #FoodDeservesDelicious #CollectiveBias

$300 Amazon Gift Card Summer Giveaway!

By Chris Cockren 10 Comments

Guess what?

I appreciate you. Like, really.

The best part of my days are reading your comments, seeing your instagram and facebook likes, retweets, and repins, and hearing all about how you and your family enjoyed a Shared Appetite recipe.

And it's time for me to say thank you.

Not just with words, but with this super awesome summer giveaway. A $300 Amazon gift card, which pretty much is just as good as cold hard cash. Because really, you can buy pretty much anything on Amazon.

Big thanks to Chelsea over at Chelsea's Messy Apron for organizing this Beat the Heat Summer Giveaway and to all the fellow food bloggers involved that helped make it happen!

Enter to win below!

note: this giveaway was personally funded by the participating food bloggers. No compensation was given and Amazon is not affiliated with this giveaway.

The Best of The Big Apple Barbecue Block Party

By Chris Cockren 23 Comments

Everything you need to know about the Big Apple Barbecue Block Party in NYC's Madison Square Park.

Another year, another Big Apple Barbecue Block Party. This one was my fourth I believe. My, my... how time flies.

So let's hit it.

For those who don't know, the Big Apple Barbecue brings some of the top pitmasters from across the country for two smoked meat-tastic days at Madison Square Park in NYC the first weekend of every June.

It gets crowded quick. How crowded? Exhibit A:

And Exhibit B:

Seriously, I think like over 100,000 people descend upon the park over the course of the weekend. That's a lot of people consuming a lot of smoked meaty goodness. #lifeisgood

Some things to expect at The Big Apple Barbecue Block Party?

Seeing all the famous pitmasters doing their thing, hanging out together, and completing all sorts of media interviews.

You better believe new pitmaster of NYC's Blue Smoke, Jean-Paul Bourgeois (who replaced the legendary Kenny Callahan, one of the Big Apple Barbecue founders), did tons of interviews.

Oh, and you may spot some well-known celebrity chefs too. Below are 3 pitmasters along with Chef Tim Love (2nd from the right). The dude has the life... hanging out with all the pitmasters, trying all sorts of free food. Must be rough man... must be rough.

There's free music all weekend long, so bring a beach blanket and sprawl out with your 'cue on the lawn anywhere you can find room in Madison Square Park.

And beyond the scheduled bands they have playing throughout the weekend, maybe you'll get an impromptu concert by a New Orleans street band (with a dancing conductor pig to boot). These guys were freaking awesome.

Oh, and expect all the pitmasters to try to one-up each other with the most creative t-shirts for their crew. Memphis Barbecue might take the cake with their shirts.

...I managed to get my hands on a crew tshirt from 17th Street Barbecue thanks to my buddy and barbecue guru James. It looks just like the New York Times logo, but says New Pork Times. Get it? Pork? Barbecue? I know, super clever.

Ok, back on track:

You'll see lots and lots of smokers. Like, a ton of them. And expect to start smelling all those hardwoods burning from blocks away. It's pretty amazingly intoxicating.

And last, but not least... expect this. That's right, lines that put Disney World to shame:

This was the line for Pitmaster Ed Mitchell right when the festival opened at 11 a.m. Just to be clear, this line extended over a full city block. That's over an hour wait.

Now, if you play your cards right, you can skip the regular peon line for the more prestigious fast pass line.

Pay $125 up front through the official Big Apple Barbecue Block Party site and you will get $100 to spend on food and access to shorter lines (and the extra $25 acts as a donation to the Madison Square Park Conservancy).

See, a much shorter line...

Ugh, yea, not really. Unfortunately so many people at this point know about the whole fast pass thing that those lines can be pretty long as well. Better than that regular folk line, but not all that fast.

So what's all this fuss about?

THIS guy. Pitmaster Ed Mitchell. The king of whole hog barbecue. He's super popular with 'cue lovers, and happily poses for photos with anyone that asks... like that guy above.

Check out the set-up Ed Mitchell brings with him from North Carolina. And even all those smokers weren't enough. Word on the street was he ran out of whole hog by like 3 p.m. on Saturday. It's a hot ticket item. Get in line early if you want to guarantee a taste.

And here it is. Ed Mitchell's incredibly juicy, full on pork goodness whole hog. He seasons it with just a bit of apple cider vingegar and red pepper flakes. It's truly and utterly fantastic.

But I have to admit, although it is incredibly good AND is still in my opinion the best whole hog offered at the Big Apple Barbecue:

a) his portions are getting smaller and smaller every year as he gains more and more popularity.

b) for the first year ever, I enjoyed other 'cue offerings more than Ed Mitchell's.

Let's take a look at Ed Mitchell's whole hog competition...

Skylight Inn's Whole Hog was probably my second favorite. It has crunchy bits of skin studded throughout that added lots of extra porky flavor into the mix.

Rodney Scott's whole hog offering was definitely the most generous in quantity. The cracklin' was quite enjoyable, although most of the flavor of the actual pork came from the sweet and spicy sauce they slathered on it.

Unfortunately, someone's got to lose, and that would be Martin's Bar-B-Que whole hog. Quite frankly, it was disappointing.

Newcomer to the festival, Pitmaster Bill Durney of Brooklyn's Hometown Bar-B-Cue impressed the heck out of me. It was the longest line we waited on my far (1 whole hour), bit his Texas-Style Beef Rib was well worth the wait.

And a nice touch... since the line was so long, Bull Durney sent out his crew to give us some free samples. I excitedly gnawed on the rest of that beef rib the crew member is holding right up there.

And look at these gigantic beauties. Look at that rub. Look at that juice.

Do you want to cry because it's so stunning? I do.

And there it is. The cross-section of beef rib perfection. What I wouldn't give to be that cutting board right about now.

Hands down this was one of the best 3 things I ate all day.

They actually cut the incredibly juicy rib meat off of the bone and served it up like so...

Every single year, Blue Smoke makes their Salt n' Pepper Ribs. But with a new Pitmaster at the helm, they changed it up this year. Crazy, I know.

Pitmaster Jean-Paul Bourgeois' Louisiana Andouille and Chow Chow was fan-freaking-tastic. It's not quite the level of amazingness that is Jim n' Nicks sausage (by the way, where were they this year?!?!), but it was still pretty darn legit.

The pieces of meat they used in their sausage were real top-notch quality. And the chow chow was vinegary goodness, which cut right through the rich, fatty pork.

I've heard nothing but amazing things about Daniel Delaney and his Brooklyn's Briskettown. The man knows his brisket, and they have pretty cool-looking shirts.

The brisket is super moist, full of rich beefiness, and has a solid, flavorful bark.

See the guy in the blue shirt right there? That's Daniel Delaney.

And here's where Delaney Barbecue gets HUGE props in my book. Like, this is majorly important in my eyes.

The dude pays attention to detail. Every other pitmaster at the Big Apple Barbecue Block Party used the generic stock supply of buns and bread. Delaney? No way. The guy special ordered these beautfiul brioche style buns from Amy's Bread in NYC (one of the legit bread bakeries in the city), and then dipped them in butter and toasted them.

If that's not impressive, I don't know what is.

Oh, and those tomatoes were these really delicious herilooms. Their fresh flavor were perfect alongside the rich, fatty meat.

But here's the deal. The end all be all. In my 4 years of attending the Big Apple Barbecue Block Party, I learned something really important.

You know what makes this weekend so special? Do you want to know why we keep going back, year after year?

Friends.

Spending time with the people we love. Eating food together. Sharing experiences. Creating memories. That's what makes the Big Apple Barbecue Block Party so special to us. Being with our friends. The smoked meat doesn't hurt, not going to lie. But it's our friends that make it an extraordinary experience.

Valerie + Asheley were ready to go! ...after a quick stop at Starbucks, of course.

It was Ashley + Tyler's first Big Apple Barbecue Block Party. Don't they look thrilled? That's the biggest smile I've ever seen Tyler make.

It was Michelle + Josh's first time too. They were both super pumped (and excited to be kid-free for the day!)

And then, of course, there was Steve + I. So pumped to be this dude's best man for his wedding in a few short weeks.

And there you have it folks, another year of the Big Apple Barbecue Block Party in the books. I better see you there next year. You know you want to go. 😉

An Announcement: Ashe Photography Studio

By Chris Cockren 51 Comments

I have an announcement. An exciting announcement. It's been in the works for a while now.

::drumroll please::

Tyler and I have joined forces to create Ashe Photography Studio.

Our goal? To create naturally beautiful, clean, timeless images to celebrate engagements, weddings, families, and couples.

Why Ashe Photography? Well, basically, because we are awesome husbands and we named our photography studio after our wives, Ashley and Asheley. They were actually friends long before we ever met, so in some backwards indirect way, our friendship and partnership is kind of thanks to them. So we named it after our beautiful, loving, caring, generous wives because, like we said, we’re awesome husbands.

And hey, it would be super cool if you wanted to "like" Ashe Photography on Facebook 🙂

We already are off to a great start in our first season as NYC and Long Island engagement and wedding photographers. We've photographed several absolutely amazing couples to celebrate their engagements, and look forward to documenting their special day as they tie the knot this upcoming summer.

Last year Tyler got married to his Ashley and I was able to capture it. Check out the post from his wedding. Flowerfield Celebrations

Here's a sneak peak at some recent shoots...

Shared Appetite Now on ZipList!!

By Chris Cockren 15 Comments

Shared Appetite Now On ZipList

An easy way to save your favorite online recipes, plan your weekly cooking, and create a grocery list all with one simple click! Shared Appetite Now On Ziplist!

Shared Appetite is going legit.

Let me introduce you to my new little friend. ZipList.

ZipList is an amazing tool for the cook of the house. Not only can you print recipes, you can now save them into your very own personalized online recipe box. People, it makes your life EASIER!

How? Okay, get this. Are you sitting down?

Once you start saving recipes, you can plan out your weekly meals AND automatically add ingredients to your shopping list. All with just one simple click.

This is isn't just a Shared Appetite thing. Once you sign up for your FREE ZipList account, you'll be able to save recipes from pretty much all the awesome food blogs out there.

But Chris, how does it work?

I'm glad you asked!

Shared Appetite on ZipList

So here's the deal. In the navigation menu up on top of Shared Appetite, you'll see that little drop-down Recipe Box link. Click on that and it will take you to your own personalized Recipe Box, which will store any recipes that you save from my site or any other place (like All Recipes, Epicurious, other blogs, etc).

But wait, there's more! 😉

Saving recipes to your Recipe Box is just one of the many amazing functions ZipList offers. You can also compile needed ingredients to your Shopping List. Or heck, even get Grocery Store Deals and Coupons in your area! All with one simple click!

Shared Appetite on ZipList

If you haven't already set up an account, you'll be prompted to do so and then can start saving recipes until your heart's content (and stomach's full).

And then start adding recipe ingredients into your shopping list and meal planner. Boom. You're a dinner-time pro.

Shared Appetite on ZipList

And let's say you are reading this super cool, creative, mouth-watering recipe from... I don't know, let's say Shared Appetite. If you'd like to save the recipe, just click the save button (this button will show up right underneath the image like below).

Shared Appetite on ZipList

And I haven't even mentioned the coolest part yet. Are you ready?

There's a mobile app.

No, really... this is a big deal. This means you can access your saved recipes, meal planner, and shopping list right on your phone! #forthewin.

Shared Appetite on ZipList

Still have questions? That's okay. I did too when I first heard about ZipList 🙂

Check out their How It Works page.

I really hope you find this new tool super useful! Happy cooking 🙂

My Favorite Food Photography Gear

By Chris Cockren 38 Comments

So, you finally started a food blog. Can I get a woot, woot!

Sorry about the woot, woot-ing. I won't let it happen again.

It's just that I'm super excited for you. I remember when I first started Shared Appetite. It was a fun, exhilarating time.

So most likely you are here because you want to improve your food photography skills. Yea, me too. I am constantly striving to take better images. My goal is to make people instantly salivate uncontrollably.

Although the absolute most important element in photography is YOU, having the right tools certainly helps a ton.

Here's the gear that I love and would highly recommend for anyone ready to take their food photography to the next level. Ready or not, here's a list of my favorite food photography gear...

[Read more...]

Spicy Black Bean Burger Southwest Salad

By Chris Cockren 225 Comments

A healthy, quick, and easy weeknight dinner recipe for a Spicy Black Bean Burger Southwest Salad, smothered in guilt-free avocado Greek yogurt dressing!

We are officially in house limbo.

Our first house is sold and we're all moved out. Side note: you don't truly realize how much stuff you have until you try moving it. Jeez. And our new house, which we are super-ridiculously-beyond-excited to soon call our home, won't be ready to close for another month or so. Thankfully my parents have welcomed us with open arms. And extra thankfully their house is literally 5 minutes from the school where I work. #win

Have I mentioned that the new house has a pool?! And have I also mentioned that I'm not even close to being in pool-ready shape? At least my current extra-round body type will be highly buoyant. Glass half full, people.

But it's time to start eating better. Making better choices. And with most of my kitchen gear stored away, it's time to get creative come dinner time. MorningStar Farms to the rescue. They make it beyond easy to eat smart and go meatless.

I'm not sure if you've checked out your grocery freezer aisle lately, but MorningStar Farms is tearing the place up. They've got like 30+ products at this point, and are always constantly creating and introducing new flavors. Meet the newest members of the MorningStar Farms family:

Roasted Garlic and Quinoa Burger
Buffalo Chik Patties
Parmesan Garlic Wings
Mediterranean Chickpea Pizza
Baja Black Bean Pizza

But my personal favorite way to get my MorningStar Farms eating on? Veggie burgers. All 12 are a great source of protein and can go straight from freezer to grill. And Asheley is totally obsessed with these Spicy Black Bean ones.

Spring is like the one time of year I feel it's perfectly acceptable to have a salad for dinner. Not just an appetizer. Full on main course action.

So I loaded up. Sautéed peppers, onions, and summer squash. Pickled jalapenos. Healthy avocado Greek yogurt dressing. And the crown jewel? That spicy black bean burger topped with a fried egg.

That's how we do salads in our house. Well, my parents' house.

Need more recipe inspiration? MorningStar Farms has got you covered. Do you have a favorite MorningStar Farms product? Tell me below and you'll be automatically entered into a random drawing for a $100 Visa gift card!

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Life-Changing Pineapple Bacon Baked Beans

By Chris Cockren 59 Comments

Summertime is all about easy cooking. And these sweet and sticky Pineapple Bacon Baked Beans are the perfect summer side dish for all your backyard grill-outs, barbecues, and all around shenanigans.

I'm getting the June itch. It's an itch that every fellow teacher gets right around this time of year. Yea, you know what I'm talking about. Summer vacation.

Two months of pure bliss. #cantwait

And with our new house becoming more and more a reality each day we get closer to July, I'm beyond pumped to have some killer backyard bbq's this summer! Oh heck yes.

I've wanted to make legit baked beans for a while now. My home-cooked cowboy beans have become quite legendary among friends, but I don't want to be a one trick legume pony. Diversification is where it's at.

Doing a quick search of the interwebs, there is definitely no shortage of baked beans variations. It's one of those classic summer recipes. But I wanted to do a little spin on the classic, using bacon (duh!), pineapple caramelized in the bacon fat (double duh!), and some of the best canned tomatoes out there.

But let's just pause for a second on that pineapple. You read correctly. You're going to dust it with chili powder and cook it up in the bacon fat. Pineapple has never tasted so freaking good.

Now that we are crashing with my parents for a few weeks before we move into our new home, I have an extra taste tester on my hands. You already know my dad is one of the most boring eaters in the world and would never even look at a bean, but my mom is all about trying new recipes. She's pretty awesome.

And ladies and gentlemen, my mom has declared these to be the best baked beans she has every tasted. That's a bold claim coming from a most reputable of sources, people. Get on this creative baked bean action before it's too late.

Pineapple Bacon Baked Beans Recipe below

I shopped at Walmart for Hunt's Canned Tomatoes. #DinnerDone #CollectiveBias

Hunt's canned tomatoes uses a unique flashsteam peeling method. No artificial preservatives are allowed to this party. And I personally use Hunt's products in my cooking all the time. It's one of my faves. If you're down for more great recipes and information on Hunt's tomatoes, feel free to check them out here and here.

First Look: Ivan Ramen (Lower East Side)

By Chris Cockren Leave a Comment

A first look at the wildly creative and innovative appetizer and ramen menu at Ivan Ramen Lower East Side.

You wouldn't expect that after being certified fatties and eating our way through the Big Apple Barbecue Block Party, we would still be hungry for more.

Well, jokes on you. We were.

Making our way to the Lower East Side in our friend Steve's new Jeep (top and doors removed in true summer rockstar fashion, of course), we waited for Ivan Ramen to open by grabbing a drink at Stanton Social. Side note... the Basil-Lime Gimlet there has managed to capture summer in a cup. It's fantastic.

Not soon after it's 5:30pm service start time (trying to avoid the hungry hoards of ramen junkies that undoubtedly would descend upon the holy grail that is Ivan Orkin's flagship NYC restaurant), we headed through the doors of Ivan Ramen Lower East Side and were seated immediately.

The left side of the restaurant is scattered with table tops for two and four... not quite sure if there is seating for parties of larger than 4? To the right is this ramen bar with a semi-open view of the kitchen.

Look at our good friends Steve and Val... this very well could be their last ramen dinner as singles. In 3 short weeks, they'll be all married and stuff.

FOREVER....

At this point in our lives, Steve and I can count on several predictable patterns of behavior in our better halves. The one of greatest certainty? Any variation of deviled eggs that appears on a menu must and will be ordered by our wives.

1000 Year Old Deviled Egg - hen egg + preserved duck egg, tomato, bonito $3.50

When our server described this almost like a pork sushi, I was sold. What's better than pork and sushi? It was a pretty fantastic bite of super and juicy pork.

Roast Pork Musubi - salted plum wasabi, roasted tomato, toasted nori $6

Steve was all about ordering this dirty rice. Although it was a bit oily and the girls weren't huge fans of the monkfish liver, it was quite enjoyable (and we downed the whole plate).

Ankimo Dirty Rice - Monkfish Liver, lemon sofrito, scallion $14

Yea, the dude put Caesar Salad on the menu. Whatcha going to do about it. His fresh and unique take on the traditional staple includes crispy parmesan frico studded with anchovies and a garlicky-lemon dressing made creamy with silken tofu.

It's easily one of the best versions of Caesar Salad I've enjoyed. The flavors are well balanced, the lettuce is incredibly crisp and evenly coated with dressing, and those little crushed up parmesan anchovy frico added little flavor bursts to the party.

Little Gem Salad - baby anchovy frico, parmesan, tofu garlic dressing $11

Although there were plenty of other apps that I've heard are fantastic and we wanted to order (the scrapple waffle and fried chicken organs, for instance), we did just down pounds of delicious smoked meat at Big Apple BBQ. We're fatties, but even fatties have their limit.

And that limit was each ordering a bowl of Chef Orkin's famous ramen. An ode to his Jewish heritage, he created a special blend of rye noodles for his bowls. Although I usually go for the Garlic Mazemen or Spicy Eggplant Mazement, I really wanted to try this Spicy Red Chili Ramen.

If you don't like spicy, stay away from this bowl. It's not shy. But it's also not going to melt your face off. It's incredibly well balanced and super flavorful.

Asheley always gets the Classic Shoyu Ramen, which includes a beautifully succulent piece of pork belly. Man I love that pork belly.

Spicy Red Chili Ramen - dashi + chicken broth, minced pork, smashed egg, rye noodle $14

And there's the man himself. Ivan Orkin.

I told you all about him and his rise to ramen royalty when we first checked out his other NYC location in Gotham West Market... the Ivan Ramen Slurp Shop. Chef Orkin quickly earned a cult following for his creative, unique, and inventive take on the traditional Japanese cuisine.

As Chef Orkin was passing by, I asked him a quick question regarding his choice to remove my personal favority menu item (the Eggplant Mazemen) off his Slurp Shop's menu. It ends up it's his favorite too, but us silly Americans didn't latch on to it like his customers in Japan did. Major bummer, because it's truly fantastic.

I had no idea that asking him that one question would lead Chef Orkin to spend about a half hour at our table talking all about the ramen craze, his rise to stardom, and all about living on Long Island (we live on Long Island and he grew up there).

I already knew that Chef Orkin was ridiculously talented and wildly innovative, but now I know the Chef's greatest quality. He's a genuine, kind-hearted, amazing human being. It's rare to see a chef/owner of a restaurant come over to a random table and spend that much time just hanging out and talking. It was pretty amazing and an experience I'll not soon forget.

Oh, and that necklace he's wearing? His little kid made it for him. How sweet is that?

And no, I didn't become Asian after eating all this ramen. That's my friend Steve below. He's already Asian...

Ivan Ramen

25 Clinton Street

New York, NY 10002

(Lower East Side)

646-678-3859

Open Daily 5:30 to Midnight

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Smoked Pomegranate Chipotle BBQ Ribs

By Chris Cockren 72 Comments

This shop is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Weave Made Media® and Farmland/Smithfield, but all my opinions are my own. #weavemade #ReadySetRibs http://my-disclosur.es/RgFrEH

Easily turn your gas grill into a makeshift smoker to make these sweet, sticky, and slightly spicy Smoked Pomegranate Chipotle BBQ Ribs.

Did we all have an awesome Memorial Day weekend? It was my buddy Steve's big bachelor party getaway. We rented a cabin upstate, did some golfing, explored a decrepit and creepy vacant hotel that could very well be on an episode of The Walking Dead, and enjoyed a whole lot of gorge eating. It was pretty glorious.

And now Monday is here. Guess what Asheley and I are currently doing to celebrate Memorial Day? Moving. That's right, we officially close on the sale of our home this Wednesday, so it's a mad dash to the self-storage center to cram in as much of our crap as possible. Big thanks to Asheley's parents and Tyler + Ashley for helping us big time. And for the next month and a half, thanks to my parents for taking us in until our new home is ready.

But now that Memorial Day is here, it's officially grilling season. Can I get a woot. Like, a big time woot. I know my man David over at Spiced shares my primal-cooking-over-fire-happiness.

And turning my gas grill into a makeshift smoker? Awesome, as demonstrated by this pulled pork. And now, it's time for ribs.

I want my baby-back baby-back baby-back... ribs. Austin Powers anyone?

Ribs are like the epitome of awesome summer food. It's direct hand to mouth eating, complete with bbq sauce being slathered all up in your face. #lifeisgood

There's nothing better than getting together with friends and polishing off a few racks for ribs. Ah, summer. Good times.

So listen, turning your gas grill into a smoker is pretty darn easy and makes you one culinary bad-donkey. And chicks dig culinary bad-donkeys.

We are going to set up the grill for indirect grilling, which simply means that only one side of the grill will be ignited. And we'll let the ribs hang out on the unlit side so they cook low-and-slow.

That's the key to super tender juicy ribs. Low-and-slow. Say it with me now. Low-and-slow.

Let's set up that makeshift smoker, shall we?

On the left side of your grill, place a shallow disposable aluminum pan right underneath the grate and fill with water. This will create moist, even heat. That's a good thing.

Now we need that handy dandy wood chip foil packet. Hit up your favorite home improvement warehouse (or use the almighty Amazon) to grab some wood chips. Experiment with whatever type of wood your little heart desires, although I typically use a mix of apple and hickory. All you need to do then is take a handful of chips, wrap 'em up in foil, and poke a few holes on the top with a knife. You'll want to make around 4 packets.

Place one of those packets in front of your water pan. On the right side of your grill, place an oven thermometer on top of the grate. Don't go trusting your built in thermometer on the top of your grill. It's probably not accurate. Not even close.

Start by only turning on the left-most burner on around half power. Close the lid and let it come up to temperature. For smoking, you want to try to stabilize the heat between 225-250°F. If it is close but just a little under, try bumping up that burner a little bit. If it’s not close to 225°F, try turning on the adjacent burner on its lowest setting. Remember, the magic range you’re looking for is 225-250°F. You may have to tweak the burners throughout the process, as outside temperature, rain, wind, etc. can all affect the inside of the grill.

Once you have the heat stabalized, throw those ribs on cool side of the grill (right side), close the lid, and walk away. Check on your ribs periodically, about every 45 minutes or so, to check the grill temperature, refill the water pans, and replace the wood chip packets (you'll know they are done when it's not smoking anymore).

If you're using St. Louis Style ribs, it'll take aroudn 5 to 6 hours. Apparently baby back ribs take around 3 to 4 hours, although I haven't tried it... yet.

Boom, smoked ribs on a gas grill.

And although some people like their ribs commando (i.e. no sauce), I'm all about the dry rub + bbq sauce combo when it comes to ribs. And this sweet, sticky, and slightly spicy Pomegranate Chipotle BBQ Sauce is just about good enough to bathe in.

I grabbed me some Farmland/Smithfield Baby Back Ribs over at Walmart with a sweet $1 off coupon. And by the way, if you have a thing against baby backs, you could also get your rib on with their St. Louis Style Ribs.

And hey, if you're looking for more rib recipe ideas, the BBQ Pitmasters over Ready Set Ribs has got your covered.

Copycat Dallas Burger

By Chris Cockren

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of KC Masterpiece®. The opinions and text are all mine.

With a spice-rubbed patty topped with melted pepperjack, creamy coleslaw, bbq sauce, and a pile of crunchy potato chips, this Copycat Dallas Burger will rock your grill this summer!

Guys. It's warm out. Like, perfect spring weather warm out. And with the crazy winter we all had (except probably you California, with your perfect year-round weather), us New Yorkers currently have a fine appreciation of waking to birds chirping, warm sunlight pouring in through (open!) windows, and sneezing uncontrollably to the pollen of budding trees. Ahh, spring, how we adore you.

And you already heard all about my inaugural grilling escapades of the season with these Stuffed Jalapeno Popper Bacon Cheeseburgers. And now I've got burgers on my mind 24/7. Maybe 23/7. The other hour is spent thinking about dessert.

I've been wanting to make Bobby Flay's Dallas Burger at home for awhile now. It's a flavor overload type of burger, and that makes my tastebuds do a little happy dance. A very manly and testosterone-filled happy dance.

So let's get down to business.

This Dallas Burger. It's sporting a spice-rubbed patty and is topped with melted pepper jack cheese, smothered in barbecue sauce, creamy coleslaw, and stacked high with crispy potato chips.

Heck freaking yes.

I have to admit, these photos almost didn't even happen. I wanted to get all up in that burger so bad.

This was a quintessential display of the limits of my self-control.

I was able to hold off until after shooting... but my poor camera is covered in the product of my uncontrollable salivation. It looks like a St. Bernard got hold of my Canon.

So I know when you are going through the grocery store aisles, you totally see this recognizable KC Masterpiece® barbecue sauce. Can you believe they've been doing their thing for 35 years? 35 years! That's a long time. And to celebrate, they are releasing a special limited-edition 35th Anniversary barbecue sauce blend.

The original sauce was created in Kansas City all the way back in 1978 and immediately won "Best Sauce" at the first even American Royal Barbecue Sauce Competition.

So why don't you get on the 35 year anniversary celebration and make your own Dallas Burger.

Go ahead. You know you want to. The grill is calling your name.

What's your favorite recipe featuring barbecue sauce?

KC Masterpiece® barbecue sauce has been delivering authentic barbecue taste and creating culinary masterpieces for 35 years. For more recipe ideas, tips and tricks visit www.KCMasterpiece.com.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of KC Masterpiece®. The opinions and text are all mine.

Watermelon, Feta, and Arugula Salad

By Chris Cockren 47 Comments

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Pompeian for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

A light, healthy, and refreshing salad recipe featuring watermelon, pickled onions, feta cheese, pine nuts, and a sweet honey balsamic reduction. This Watermelon, Feta, and Arugula Salad is perfect for spring!

What I’m about to say is going to leave me vulnerable to both judgement and ridicule. Be gentle. I may look tough and full of muscular brawn on the outside, but I have a fragile core.

I’ve avoided watermelon for pretty much... forever. Same goes for olives, cherries, and anything else that had a pit or large seeds. Super weird, I know. But the thought of biting down on a pit just freaks me out. And the whole spitting the seeds out just isn't my thing. Gross.

And I guess because of the whole irrational fear of seeds thing (I wonder if there is a real diagnosable phobia for that…), I never grew an affinity for watermelon. Even seedless.

But then I saw a watermelon salad on a restaurant menu and was super intrigued. Not intrigued enough to spend the money on ordering it (too much risk involved considering one of main ingredients was indeed watermelon), but I’ve been wanting to try to make a version of the salad at home ever since. And that time is now.

So did you know it’s National Vinegar Month and National Salad Month? Me neither.

But hey, when Pompeian Balsamic Vinegar asks you to celebrate, you listen. I’m always down for a good party, even if watermelon is invited 😉

My absolute favorite way to enjoy balsamic vinegar is by slowly reducing it on the stove, creating a sweet and sticky syrupy glaze. I almost always have a squeeze bottle of it in the fridge, so it’s always at the ready when duty calls.

If you don't have feta on hand, feel free to try goat cheese. That would be delicious as well. Just don't skip the pickled onions. It adds a whole other level of flavor awesomeness to this salad.

And hey, want more #DressingItUp inspiration? For additional recipe ideas, you can visit the Pompeian website.

Dark Chocolate Strawberry Breakfast Smoothie

By Chris Cockren 56 Comments

This shop is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and Nestle, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #BreakfastEssentials http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV.

A quick and easy healthy breakfast smoothie that tastes just like a chocolate covered strawberry! This Dark Chocolate Strawberry Breakfast Smoothie will rock your world!

Is anyone else like super-ridiculously-overly happy that the weather is getting warmer and that it's light out both when you wake up AND when you get out of work? This type of weather makes me want to get outside and go for a run.

But then I remember how much I don't like running.

That's Asheley's thing. And I'm not the type of guy to intrude on her thing. That would just be rude.

I do try to get moving a bit more in these warmer months. And once in awhile, I'll even go for a run. A short run. But a run nonetheless. And really, I'll go for a run just so I can come home and have a breakfast smoothie. It's my motivation and reward for getting my behind in gear.

[Read more...]

Stuffed Jalapeno Popper Bacon Cheeseburger

By Chris Cockren 68 Comments

Jalapeno poppers are great. Burgers are too. But stuffing a bacon cheeseburger with the flavors of jalapeno poppers is simply pure bliss. Meet the Stuffed Jalapeno Popper Bacon Cheeseburger with Avocado-Jalpeno Ranch Dressing.

Things are looking a bit different up in here, huh?! You like it? I hope so. And even if you don't, can we just agree that we'll just play that whole game where you say you love it to my face even though silently your passing harsh judgements? Sweet. Thanks 🙂

Seriously though, I'm super pumped for the new digs. It's a site change that Tyler and I have been brainstorming about for a while now. We're still tweaking, adding, and fixing things... and as much as I'd love to take all sorts of credit for the new look, it's all Tyler. He's worked incrediby hard to make the new site happen. Virtual high fives for Tyler are welcomed and appreciated.

So guess who finally opened up his grill this weekend?! Woot. And guess who was out of propane exactly when he wanted to start grilling? Of course.

But nothing could keep me from this triumphant Stuffed Jalapeno Popper Bacon Cheeseburger. Nothing. It was all I could think about making. And devouring.

[Read more...]

Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Breakfast Totchos

By Chris Cockren 34 Comments

When you combine a classic breakfast sandwich with tater tots, something magical happens. A breakfast of champions: Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Breakfast Totchos. This partner post, An EGG for Every Occasion, is sponsored by Safest Choice Eggs and Honest Cooking. All views and opinions, as always, are completely my own

bacon, egg, and cheese breakfast totchos (tater tot nachos)

You guys. Have you heard of totchos? They are pretty much changing my life. Part tater tots. Part nachos. Heck to the yes.

Case in point... these Loaded Baked Potato Totchos. It was my debut in the world of totchos. And now, I'm semi-obsessed.

You know when you have a complete genius, light-bulb-goes-off moment? I rarely get them, but it just may of happened when I was devouring a bacon, egg, and cheese breakfast sandwich last week. I love those things.

And then I was like... wait a second. What about. (light bulb) What about breakfast sandwich totchos?!

[Read more...]

Animal Style In-N-Out Bacon Cheeseburger Tacos

By Chris Cockren 13 Comments

When you combine a copycat recipe for an iconic burger + wrap it in a tortilla, taco night will never be the same. Animal Style In-N-Out Bacon Cheeseburger Tacos. Boom.

Every year, the women's retreat for our church falls on the 1st weekend of May. You know what that means. Cinco de Mayo party... but since the wives are away, it's all us guys. And since it's a dude-fest, the annual Cinco de Man-o party was born.

It's something we look forward to every year.

So a bunch of the guys from church are really into burgers. We kinda have a bucket list of iconic burger joints we all want to check out at some point in our lives. It's typically the first and last thing we end up talking about when you get us all together in a room. And no, we're not obsessed. We're passionate. There's a difference, thank you very much 🙂

Asheley and I had our first In-N-Out experience when we went to San Francisco and Napa Valley this past summer. Pretty much everyone knows about their not so secret menu at this point, which includes making your burger Animal Style. They cook your patty in a bit of mustard, add on caramelized onions, and give an extra smear of their special sauce. For a fast food burger, it's legit.

[Read more...]

{Slow Cooker} Chipotle Root Beer Beef Barbacoa

By Chris Cockren 6 Comments

Create a super easy, budget-friendly meal with this Slow Cooker Chipotle Root Beer Beef Barbacoa. Customize your family dinner with tacos, quesadillas, and more!

You've got a bottle of root beer. A chuck roast. Some chipotle peppers, an onion, and a handful of spices. Oh, and a slow cooker. Can't forget about the slow cooker. What do you do?

Get all MacGyver on these ingredients and create an instant Mexican feast.

P.S. I love MacGyver. I have all seven series on DVD.

I remember being a kid and thinking MacGyver was pretty much the coolest person ever (still kinda do). And Murdock still creeps me out.

Okay, sorry. Back to food. So this chipotle root beer beef barbacoa. It's literally like a ridiculously easy, takes two seconds of prep kind of meal. And those meals rock.

[Read more...]

Baked Horchata Glazed Donuts

By Chris Cockren 2 Comments

Transform traditional Mexican horchata into a creative Cinco de Mayo dessert with these soft, moist, and pillowy Baked Horchata Glazed Donuts!

Did you miss it?

I had my baked donut debut last week and it was a freaking doozie. Baked Brown Butter Churro Donuts. Yea, that's right. A churro donut. They were pretty epic.

And now I'm totally obsessed with my donut pan.

Asheley's not complaining. She is a strong supporter of my baked donut phase. And suddenly is very eager to help taste test.

Quality control, she tells me.

[Read more...]

Gluten-Free Avocado Fries with Chipotle-Lime Sour Cream

By Chris Cockren 8 Comments

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo (or any day, really) with these healthy Gluten-Free Avocado Fries with Light Chipotle-Lime Sour Cream.

Certain things don't stand a chance in our home.

Asheley will find them. And destroy them.

Gummy bears. Popcorn. Granola. Swedish Fish. Napa Valley Pinot Noir. Animal Crackers. American Cheese. Specifically, Land O'Lakes White American Cheese. She'll accept no other. Trust me, I've made that mistake once.

And avocados.

Avocados designated for recipes need to be hidden from the wrath of Asheley. She eats them straight up. Sometimes 2 at a time.

Needless to say, she was all over these gluten-free avocado fries. As should you. They are actually kinda healthy. That's right. Gluten-free, semi-healthy fries. Woot.

[Read more...]

Slow Cooker Dinners: Hawaiian Luau Pulled Pork Tacos

By Chris Cockren 4 Comments

For busy weeknights, easy dinners are a must. Enter slow cooker ideas, like these Hawaiian Luau Pulled Pork Tacos with Pineapple Habanero Salsa and Tangy Slaw.

So listen. I'm a fan of Mexican recipes pretty much any day, any week, any month. But especially now, with Cinco de Mayo less than 2 weeks away... yes freaking yes.

Tacos. Burritos. Nachos. Enchiladas. Fajitas. Everything and anything. I may have a problem. #notreally #nosuchthingastoomuchmexicanfood

Luckily Asheley is with me on the Mexican/Tex-Mex love. She's awesome like that.

But sometimes life gets busy. And that's when slow cooker dinners can be mighty helpful. Because really, although I absolutely love cooking, once in awhile less time in the kitchen and more time catching up on DVR with Asheley by my side is a good thing.

[Read more...]

Paleo and Gluten-Free Cauliflower Tortillas

By Chris Cockren 4 Comments

A healthy, gluten-free, and paleo friendly recipe for Cauliflower Tortillas.

I have to give it up to our friends Steve and Valerie for this one. They are doing this not-quite-paleo, not-quite-Atkins type of diet where they are severely limiting their intake of carbs and sugars. There's a name for it... I just can't think of it.

They've been dropping all sorts of weight and look fantastic. The only bummer is that sometimes their meals can feel incomplete because the majority of their food intake is basically meat and non-sugary vegetables. But then Valerie was talking about how she made cauliflower tortillas a few weeks ago, which made her super happy to be able to have a normal meal.

And then pair that with all the fantastic cauliflower recipes my man Mike over at The Iron You has been pumping out, and I knew I had to get in on this cauliflower action. Especially since I'm working on getting back into the whole operation stop being a fatty thing.

Regular tortillas = fatty

Cauliflower tortillas = less of a fatty

[Read more...]

{Gluten-Free} Spicy Mashed Cauliflower with Pickled Jalapenos

By Chris Cockren Leave a Comment

An easy, quick, and healthy side dish recipe for super creamy Gluten-Free Spicy Mashed Cauliflower with Pickled Jalapenos.

Well it's back to school today. I know, I know... you must feel soooooo bad for me. Having a week (plus 1 day) off sure is a fantastic perk of teaching 🙂

It's been a productive spring vacation. We did some packing. We may have found our new home (don't want to jinx it, but it's looking good!). We had a top-notch, high quality moving sale. And Tyler and I started working on a site redesign. Woot.

True confession time. I have to admit, I've been off my operation stop being a fatty for a couple weeks. It's time to get back on track. Time to start doing those T25 workouts again, cutting down my portions, and stop shoving so much dessert in my face. Ugh.

[Read more...]

Baked Brown Butter Churro Donuts

By Chris Cockren 15 Comments

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo in style with this creative and unique Baked Brown Butter Churro Donut recipe. Be prepared to become addicted to your donut pan.

Loaded Baked Potato Totchos {plus a Target Gift Card Giveaway}

By Chris Cockren 32 Comments

This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and All You Magazine, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #lifeforless http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV.

Tater tots meet nachos in this highly addictive Loaded Baked Potato Totchos appetizer recipe, featuring queso, chili beans, bacon, and all the fixings.

I love nachos. In fact, I just had them. Well, not actually at the time you're reading this, because it's like 9am. And as much as I would absolutely love to have nachos at 9am, somebody (Asheley) wouldn't really be happy with me.

My love for anything and everything resembling Mexican or Tex-Mex food is no secret. Heck, Cinco de Mayo is my favorite non-major holiday of the year. Seriously, I'm pumped for that first weekend in May. Party at my house.

I've yet to meet someone that doesn't like nachos. And if I ever do, I'll have to seriously ask myself, can this person really be trusted?? Doubtful.

So I saw this mind-blowing, life-changing creation not too long ago somewhere on the interwebs that involved turning tater tots into nachos (side note: I want to meet the person who dreamt up this idea and give them a gigantic high five). And then I was looking through the April issue of All You magazine and saw a recipe for Chili-Cheese Baked Potatoes. My weekend destiny was clear. Make Totchos.

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Pineapple Teriyaki Salmon {plus a Spring Entertaining Giveaway!}

By Chris Cockren 57 Comments

A super flavorful, lightning fast weeknight dinner recipe for Pineapple Teriyaki Salmon topped with Pineapple Habanero Salsa!

I'm beyond pumped. It's Friday. It's the last school day before our week-long spring break. And, the icing on the cake... it's time for a sweet spring entertaining giveaway! More on that below. But, first...

There are big plans for this upcoming week off. Recipes will be tested. Boxes will be packed (we sold our house and are officially in contract. Woot!). And entertaining will happen frequently.

We love to entertain. In fact, the whole reason (well, most of the reason) we are moving is so that we can find a home with an open floor plan that will allow us to host large holiday dinners and have all our friends over for legendary parties.

One thing that I have never made when entertaining, though. Fish. I blame my dad. He refused to eat it, so my mom never made it. And even though I'll happily order seafood out at a restaurant, it's yet to infiltrate my cooking all that much.

Until now. I'm a man on a mission. Cook and eat fish, once a week. Because really, when we entertain, I want to be able to make some impressive dishes using fish and not get all anxious and worried about whether or not I know what I'm doing. So, time to start practicing.

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Paleo and Dairy-Free Acai Banana Ice Cream

By Chris Cockren 28 Comments

A vegan, paleo, and dairy-free recipe for 2 ingredient Acai Banana Ice Cream! Quick, easy, and best part... it's healthy!

Remember how I told you about A.B. Biagi gelato in NYC?

And remember how I said he had two really amazing vegan options at his SoHo shop?

Please say yes, even if you need to lie a bit. Thanks 🙂

One of those vegan ice cream options was this super creamy, smooth, and intensely flavored Acai Banana.

And when I figured out that you can make ice cream just by processing the bejeebus out of frozen bananas in the food processor and whipped up this Paleo-friendly Nutella Banana Ice Cream, I knew acai-banana also needed to happen.

Besides being vegan, it's also a paleo-friendly and dairy-free ice cream option. Woot. Woot.

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Spicy Strawberry Fruit Leather

By Chris Cockren 27 Comments

Make DIY fruit roll-ups at home with just 4 ingredients! This homemade Spicy Strawberry Fruit Leather recipe is easy, healthier than store-bought, and great for snacking!

You guys.

I've been dying to tell you this for two weeks now. It's been tough to keep a secret, but it was necessary until the official documents were all signed and confirmed.

Our house is officially in full contract. Here's the crazy thing. We found a buyer just five days after our house was put on the market. Isn't that crazy?? God is good. Like, crazy good.

Now we begin the super cool process of looking for a house to call our home. I bought this place before I met Asheley, so we're excited to find OUR home. Together.

...although, side note: it's a lot easier to buy a house when your single. The list of "needs" and "wants" goes up exponentially when you have a 2nd party involved.

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