Last year I wrote a Thanksgiving cooking piece for beginners on Facebook. This was the post that made me want to start a blog. This was also the post where so many people told me I should have a blog. Ok, so it took two months for it to happen.

I shared my Thanksgiving post with a group that I am in called The Apocalypse Supper Club. On my newsfeed, I kept seeing so many people who were panicking because they were being forced to stay home for the holiday and would have to cook themselves.

Whenever I teach a cooking class one of the first things that I say to my students is that my goal for the class is to take away the intimation of cooking. When students saw how easy recipes really are they weren’t intimated by them anymore; they felt accomplished! Yay! Watching people who were afraid to cook then are suddenly excited by it is priceless to me.

I wanted to write a post that would be informal yet informational to first-time Thanksgiving cooks. I wanted them to not be afraid of cooking for a big holiday. I wanted them to maybe even enjoy it a little bit.

You know what? That post went viral on Facebook. Not only did the three thousand members of the group see my post, but they shared it on their personal Facebook pages. I also shared it on my Facebook page. Lots of my friends shared it on their pages. You get the picture.

Thousands of people loved my post. They found the advice helpful and it did indeed take away some of the fear & dread for many people. Mission accomplished. I decided to share last year’s post with all of you even though there aren’t travel restrictions in place this year and many of you who don’t like to cook; won’t have to. Without further ado here’s the post:

Hey!!! If this is your first Thanksgiving that you have to cook because of travel & gathering restrictions I must tell you this….today (Sunday) is the day you may want to take your frozen turkey out of the freezer and defrost in the refrigerator in a container in case it leaks while it defrosts. I made the mistake of taking my turkey out too late too many times and sweated it out if it would be ready to roast on Thanksgiving. Here are a couple other pieces of advice I have found helpful over the last 31 years of cooking Thanksgiving dinner.

▪️Read the recipes you plan to make AHEAD and re-read them. For real you don’t want to find out on the big day you forgot to get something that would change the dish drastically. 

▪️Make a list and shop early. No one wants to torture themselves and be in a last-minute panic situation at the grocery store. 

▪️Simple recipes with fewer good ingredients always come out better and are way less stressful.

▪️Mise en place or prep ahead!!!!! I cannot stress this enough!!! Being well organized and ready to go on the big day is fucking priceless! You will thank me and this goes for other big meals not just on thanksgiving. Seriously just taking the time to prep a few things here and there instead of just sitting on your phone is time well spent and is good for you mentally as well. Lol! 

▪️Never apologize for your food!!!! To quote Julia Child “I don’t believe in twisting yourself into knots of excuses and explanations over the food you make. Usually, one’s cooking is better than one thinks it is!” 

▪️Let yourself off the hook and don’t try to make everything from scratch. If you like to bake then by all means make your pies on Wednesday, but if you don’t enjoy baking then buy them!!!! Keep your menu small and don’t try to tackle too many things. This one is huge. People start thinking about every dish they have ever had on past Thanksgiving and think they need to make them all. 

▪️Plan on something super simple or order a pizza on Wednesday night so you can take the time to get organized for tomorrow. The same thing goes with a simple breakfast on Thanksgiving morning. This is not the day to make pumpkin pancakes or some other dumb shit you think is necessary. It’s not. 

▪️This may be the biggest one of all. The big daddy of advice….clean as you go!!!!! Honestly, people get so overwhelmed when they look around their kitchen and it looks like a bomb went off or worse when the pot or bowl or whisk that you need is dirty under a mountain of dishes!!!! 

I hope this helps anyone who is dreading to cook…because they don’t enjoy cooking or perhaps they have always been that person that is lucky enough to just show with a pie or flowers for the table. I have some time today so I am prepping ahead things that can be made far in advance and make turkey day a snap!! 

Take a deep breath. Count your blessings. Give thanks for all the good things that did happen in this shitass year and Bon Appetit! ❤️❤️❤️~julz

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It took me a long time to master regular pie crust for pastries. Then, I needed to go gluten-free and was devastated that I had to start all over. I tried lots of recipes for gluten-free pie crust that were either too dry, fell apart, or just sucked in general. Gluten-free baking is difficult and turns people off from baking completely. That was me for about five years.

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Before I attempt any gluten-free baking, I read tons of recipes online. I see which recipe does this and which ones do that. After I chose a recipe and follow it exactly, I figure out what went wrong. None of the recipes came out the way I wanted them to, and the dough was tough to work with.

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Over the last ten years, I have found that many gluten-free bloggers write recipes for home cooks that are way over the top with too many unnecessary ingredients, steps, and dishes. In my humble opinion, I think they all try to outdo each other making their recipes unique. Working in a professional kitchen, I have found solid ways to simplify fussy recipes with great results.

Those food bloggers would be shocked that I don’t weigh my ingredients but measure them. I use salted butter. I warm up the dough, so it’s easier to work with. Eee gads…it won’t be flaky if the dough isn’t ice cold, they say. It still comes out flaky, trust me. I haphazardly throw caution to the wind and throw everything in the food processor. I don’t overwork the dough by pulsing the food processor too much or adding too much water too fast.

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This crust “comes together”; it doesn’t form itself into a ball in the food processor. The dough looks like little pieces of rice that hold together when squeezed in your hand.

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The dough can be made up to a week in advance and kept in the fridge wrapped tightly in plastic wrap. The dough can be frozen then defrosted in the refrigerator. The dough is very forgiving and can be reformed and rolled out multiple times.

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You know the dough is perfect when it feels like play-doe, not too wet or too dry. I urge you always to try out any new recipe in advance. Holidays or dinner parties are not the times you should try a new recipe. In other words, don’t use your guests as guinea pigs. Knowing the recipe results before you make it for any occasion cuts down on stress and embarrassing failures.

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This is a gluten-free recipe and shouldn’t be tried with conventional ingredients. Follow a traditional pie crust recipe that works beautifully.

For first-time or inexperienced gluten-free bakers, you will have to use your hands to feel and your eyes to see if the dough is too wet or dry.

When kneading or rolling out the dough, use plenty of flour on your bench-top, so the dough doesn’t stick, but not add too much that it makes the dough too dry. Trust your instincts; remember, it’s only baking and not a real-life tragedy if it doesn’t come out perfect the first time.

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When I was in my twenties, I would have complete shit-fits when a recipe didn’t work out; then, I would throw everything away. I would be so pissed-off and angry. Unbelievably, I have much more patience in my fifties and take it all in stride now.

If you want to use my pie crust recipe for Thanksgiving, please try it out before the big day. You don’t have to make a pumpkin, pecan, or apple pie; you can make a meat pot pie, a tart, or a galette for dinner or dessert.

Today, I am going to try making Chinese steamed buns with Peking Pork. I have read tons of gluten-free and conventional recipes and chose a couple to follow. Will they come out? I don’t know, but at least if they fail it won’t be in front of guests. Will I be mad? Most likely, but won’t turn into the Hulk as I used to back in the day.

Gluten-free Pie Crust

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose gluten-free flour blend containing xanthan gum such as Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 baking flour or Thomas Keller’s cup for cup flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
6 Tbsp salted butter cut into cubes and chilled
1/2 cup full-fat sour cream
Ice water by the teaspoon as needed

Directions

In a food processor, combine all the ingredients except for the water. Pulse to blend into pea-size pieces.

Add the ice water teaspoon by teaspoon, pulsing the food processor after each addition. Open the lid of the food processor; using your hand squeeze the dough, checking to see if it is too dry. It will not form into a ball but will be on the crumbly side that looks like rice and holds together when squeezed.

Take your time adding the water not to add too much too quickly. It usually takes 4 teaspoons depending on the weather; then, it could be more or less.

Remove the dough from the food processor, flour your benchtop, then knead until smooth and form into a ball. Divide the dough ball into two, then form them into two disks. Wrap each disk tightly in plastic wrap. Pop the disks into the refrigerator until ready to use.

When ready to use, take disks out of the fridge and let “warm” up for 15-20 minutes. This step makes the dough easier to work with. Squeeze the dough with your hands until smooth. Flour your bench-top and roll out for tarts or galettes.

For pie crusts, spray two pieces of plastic wrap with pan spray and sandwich the dough between the two. Roll out to the size you wish. Carefully peel the top plastic wrap off, then turn over, putting that side onto the top of the pie pan. Carefully peel off the other piece of plastic wrap. Press into the pie dish, fill, then repeat with the top crust.

Follow the directions for your favorite pie filling, and baking instructions like you used a refrigerated pie crust from the store.

FYI…You can reroll the scraps multiple times, and it will not affect the flakiness or texture of the baked crust.

*** If you enjoy my recipes, please consider making a mall donation to my blog in the “support my blog” section. No matter how small, all donations are welcome and make me feel like my time and effort is appreciated. Thank you so much for your support! 🤗

I had a reader request my recipe for lazy man’s lobster. I had to sit down and think about how I actually made it. The thing to keep in mind with recipes like this depends on the size of the lobsters you are using. I used two 1 1/2 lb lobsters and got 3 nicely filled baking dishes.

This is a super-rich dish; the portions don’t need to be extravagant due to the richness. I recommend serving with fresh lemon wedges for each diner. The fresh lemon juice squeezed on top cuts through the richness and makes the dish in balance.

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Lazy man’s lobster

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups of crushed Ritz type crackers
4 Tablespoons butter, melted
¼ cup fresh Italian leaf parsley, chopped
½ cup butter
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
¼ cup sherry
The juice and zest from one lemon
Salt and pepper to taste
Cooked lobster meat from 2-3 lobsters, depending on their size, cut into bite-size pieces.

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. Butter 3-4 ovenproof dishes, place them on a sheet pan. Divide the cooked lobster meat amongst the dishes. I say 3-4 dishes, depending on the size of the lobsters. Set aside.

Crush crackers in a ziplock bag and a rolling pin or a food processor. Crush or pulse until it becomes crumbs. I like my crumbs with more texture crushing them less.

Melt the 4 Tbsp of butter. In a bowl, combine the cracker crumbs, melted butter, lemon zest, and parsley. Mix until completely combined, set aside.

Heat 1/2 cup butter in a saute pan over low heat. When the butter has melted, add garlic and slowly poach the garlic until soft, not brown. Add sherry and lemon—season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.

Divide the butter mixture evenly between the dishes, pouring the butter mixture over the lobster. Top with a generous amount of cracker topping on each dish.

Put the baking sheet in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until the lobster is hot and the topping is golden brown. Serve with lemon wedges and more parsley. Serve with rice, pasta, or a baked potato. Enjoy!

*** If you enjoy my recipes, please consider making a mall donation to my blog in the “support my blog” section. No matter how small, all donations are welcome and make me feel like my time and effort is appreciated. Thank you so much for your support! 🤗

Coming up with ideas to cook is the hardest part of cooking for most people. I nailed Sam and Marty down on Sunday morning asking for some dinner ideas for the week. They came up with their suggestions; I would fill in the blanks based on what I wanted. 

Every week, I write down dinner menus in my cooking notebook; then below it, I make a shopping list of ingredients. I leave the list at home when I go to the store and have someone take a photo of it and text it to me. 🤦🏻‍♀️

I had a craving for something flavorful, different, and better yet, a one-pot dish. Jambalaya was that dish. Having a well-stocked pantry makes pulling one of these dinner ideas out of your ass possible. 

I’ve mentioned that we live in a food desert here in Southern Vermont, so if you want something a little different, you have to cook it yourself. If you don’t cook, you are out of luck or settle for mediocre, ordinary cuisine.  This is not a food snob talking, just a person that likes different varieties of food. 

Finding ingredients around here is another story; I do most of my ethnic shopping in Albany, NY. When you want to make a dish with ingredients that aren’t available here, you make do the best you can. 

I made my version of jambalaya tonight, one that would make creole folks go crazy since it isn’t authentic. I used common ingredients out of necessity but tried to mimic the flavor the best I could. 

I started sautéing in olive oil, what they call in New Orleans the “holy trinity,” which is onions, celery, and bell peppers. Cooks know what the “holy trinity” is, just like a “mirepoix,” onions, celery, and carrots in French cooking. 

Next, I added the sausage to the vegetables. Since I didn’t have andouille sausage, I used kielbasa. I made my own creole seasoning on the spicy side to help the kielbasa masquerade as andouille. 

For the rest of the recipe, I used long-grain white rice, a can of Rotel tomatoes & green chilis, chicken broth, and a bay leaf. I added a bag of shrimp at the very end of the cook.

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I browned the rice with the kielbasa and veggies. Next, I brought it up to a boil, covered it, and cooked it on low for 20 minutes. I stirred in a bag of mall shrimp that I marinated in a touch of olive oil and creole seasoning. I turned off the heat, covered the pot, and walked away for ten minutes. The residual heat cooked the small shrimp through without overcooking them.

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Not many ingredients like most of my recipes, just flavorful AF ones. While it was cooking, the house smelled delicious. So delicious that when Sam woke up at 5 pm (he works night shifts), he came down to see what the hell I was cooking. 

After I told him it was jambalaya, I realized I had never made it for him before; I made it while he was away at school. He thought it smelled amazing with flavors he had never had before. 

It turns out he wouldn’t be having it this time either since he wouldn’t be home. I packed a take-out container for a 3 am work dinner later this week for him. Yes, I pack him his dinners. I love feeding people! 

The jambalaya came out exactly how I wanted it to taste, smokey from the smoked paprika I put in the creole seasoning, a little heat but not too much, and that holy trinity was the foundation of the dish building flavors.

The house still smelled good three hours later when I took out the trash; I considered having more but decided against it. I hate feeling overfilled and have to stop myself by having only one portion. I also put my fork down the second my brain tells me I am full, no matter how delicious the meal is.

So a pot of faux jambalaya was the food hero last night and will be again today for lunch before belly dance classes. Yum!

Faux Jambalaya

Ingredients

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion chopped
1 green bell pepper chopped
1 stalk celery chopped
3 cloves garlic minced
1 package of grocery store kielbasa
1 Tbsp Creole seasoning
1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice
1 can Rotel diced tomatoes and green chilis
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1 lb bag of easy-peel raw shrimp
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp creole seasoning
Salt and black pepper to taste

Directions

Chop the onion, pepper, and celery. Mince the garlic. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a dutch oven or large pot, then add the “holy trinity” and the garlic. Sauté for 5 minutes.

Add the kielbasa and the Creole seasoning. Stir to combine. Sauté uncovered for 10-12 minutes, stirring often or until the vegetables are soft.

While the kielbasa and veggies are cooking, peel the shrimp. In a bowl, add a tablespoon of olive oil and one teaspoon of creole seasoning. Stir gently to combine thoroughly. Set aside.

Add the rice to the kielbasa and veggies, stirring until combined. Brown, the raw rice for 3-5 minutes, stirring often to prevent the rice from burning. This step gives the rice a rich and nutty flavor.

Add the Rotel tomatoes and the chicken broth stirring well. Add the bay leaf, then bring to a boil. Turn the heat to low, cover, and cook for 20 minutes.

Uncover, check the doneness of the rice. Stir in 1/8 cup water, cover, and cook for five more minutes if the rice is underdone. When the rice is tender, stir in the shrimp, turn off the heat, cover and leave for 10 minutes.

Remove the bay leaf, check for seasoning and serve. Enjoy!

Macaroni and chop meat. I am not sure if this was just a Jersey saying or generational. 

What in the hell is chop meat some of you may be asking yourself. It’s also know as ground beef or hamburg here in VT. 

Macaroni when I was growing up in Elizabeth, NJ was any pasta except for lasagna. It wasn’t called pasta. Ever. 

In restaurants, they had fancy names for their macaroni like linguine & clam sauce, penne vodka or baked ziti. But where I come from it was all macaroni. 

Macaroni and chop meat is also know here in America as goulash; not to be confused with the Hungarian kind. I’ve also heard it called American Chop Suey which is so wrong! I saw a show about Asian cuisine in which they made it crystal clear there is no such thing as chop suey in Chinese cuisine. 

A Chinese woman who was over 100 years old who was the first woman to ever own and cook in a Chinese restaurant. She had her own story about chop suey when Chinese food was still considered exotic.

When the interviewer asked her what chop  suey was she laughed. She said it means chopped up shit thrown in a wok. It was named chopped suey for the unknowing American customers. She was a fireball guzzling down booze and cursing like a sailer. 🙌🏼 She is my hero!

Macaroni and chop meat is one of a handful of dishes that I haven’t changed when I make it. I’ve been making it for as long as I can remember. I’m not sure who I watched make it, but I still do it the same way with the same simple ingredient. Jazzing up macaroni and chop meat is pasta with meat sauce; this is not. 

The only thing that I’ve changed about the dish is the macaroni. Originally, I used the classic elbow macaroni. When we had to go gluten free I made it with gluten-free penne pasta that fell apart and sucked up all the sauce. It sucked so bad I stopped making it. 

Now I make it with our gluten-free spätzle. The beauty is no boiling necessary for our “pasta.” It can go straight into a soup, sauce, gravy or casserole without having to boil it. The spätzle doesn’t get mushy or fall apart. Brilliant!

With all the fancy-ass cooking that I do, it’s refreshing making something so simple, comforting and familiar. It’s like a grilled cheese sandwich with butter, white bread and yellow American cheese.

The macaroni and chop meat that I make is a pound of chop meat, 1 diced onion, salt, 1 28oz can of plain old tomato sauce and a pound of macaroni. 

The beef is sautéed with the diced onion that has been seasoned with kosher salt until the onions are translucent. 

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Once the onions are translucent, you add the tomato sauce. Cover and bring to a simmer. Simmer and stir often for 30 minutes adding water if the sauce looks too dry. This is a looser sauce than my regular “sauce.”

Next, the cooked elbows or in my case spätzle gets mixed it. Cover, and let simmer for 20 more minutes adding water if it gets too dry. How do I know if I should add water or not? You just know.

I check to see if it needs more salt, it usually doesn’t since tomato sauce can be salty. That’s it. I serve it as is. No spices, no parmesan cheese, no black pepper…just plain. I love it with buttered white bread. Mmmm! 

I’d love to know if anyone else called this dish macaroni and chop meat. I’d also love to know how others make it. One time I ate at a friends house that were serving macaroni and chop meat with melted American cheese melted on top of it. I told my father about it and he said adding American cheese is sacrilege. 🤣

Please share in the comments section I your experiences with this dish; I am dying to know.

Happy Friday guys! Time to go!  It’s dinner time! Yum! Have a great weekend! ☺️