For me, being the non-tomato kid growing up, I pretty much thought V-8 was a punishment much like soap in your mouth. Which is why sweet, fruity dishes like a melon gazpacho hit a homerun with me. This is absolutely delightful on those dog days of summer when it is...
Tom kha gai
As I mentioned in the beginning of this book, I was fortunate enough while living in Los Angeles to befriend some chefs who are way more talented/knowledgeable than me. Chef Jet Tila is one such person. Jet is the executive chef at the Wynn Encore’s Wazuzu restaurant,...
Creamy caesar salad
Yes, it is very random that the Caesar salad was reportedly first made in Tijuana, Mexico. Almost as random as the fact that I spent one New Year’s Eve eating really good Chinese food in Tijuana followed by seeing a Beatles cover band. I digress. As the story goes,...
Tomato sauce
We have two approaches to this wonderful sauce and it all depends on whether or not we are eating it that day. If you can’t wait, serve this simple sauce over spaghetti squash and enjoy. Our other approach with this is to double or triple the batch and can the sauce...
Dill pickles
Our canning endeavors always include pickles. My (Charles’) brother Michael grew the most amazing cucumbers a few years ago. We were in Tennessee buying up some of his produce and picked up a batch of the ones labeled “Canning Cukes.” They are great to garnish any...
Basic biscuits
We quoted this statement from Andrew Badenoch in the introduction, and we’ll repeat it here: “Paleo is a logical framework applied to modern humans, not a historical reenactment.”- I couldn’t agree more with him. If it were to be a historical reenactment, I’d be...
Turkey gravy
You can make a really tasty gravy without demi-glace, flour, or a lot of tips and tricks professional chefs use, so don’t be dismayed. The key to any good gravy is utilizing all those little browned bits (fond) in the bottom of your roasting pan and scraping them up...
Tartar sauce
Some of my fondest memories as a child were the week or so we would pack up the big blue van and head down to Mobile Bay to stay with my grandparents. If you don’t know what a Mobile Bay Jubilee is, get out your computer and do a quick search. Papa (my grandfather)...
Red chile sauce
My grandparents lived in New Mexico for many years, where the infamous chile reigns supreme. Of course, when they were still alive and living in New Mexico, my chile taste buds hadn’t really come in yet. This recipe pays tribute to those years they lived in...
Barbecue sauce with some kick
This recipe goes well with a variety of meats and what’s not to love about barbequed chicken in the summertime? You can almost always count on us having at least a little container of this in the refrigerator. We put it on everything from eggs to salads. Don’t be...