Chicago Dog

Chicago-style hot dog, Chicago Dog, or Chicago Red Hot is an all-beef frankfurter on a poppy seed bun, originating from the city of Chicago.

Ingredients
    6 split hot dog buns
    3 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
    1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon poppy seeds
    6 all-beef hot dogs
    6 dill pickle spears
    12 tomato wedges
    Yellow mustard
    Sweet relish
    1 small white onion, finely chopped
    6 sport peppers or peperoncini
    Celery salt

 

Direction

•     Brush outsides of buns with butter; sprinkle with poppy seeds.
•     Bake, split sides down, at 350 degrees until warm, about 5 minutes.
•     Warm hot dogs in boiling water for 5 minutes; transfer to buns.
•     Arrange a dill pickle spear on 1 side of each hot dog and 2 tomato wedges on the other side.
•     Squirt yellow mustard over each in a zigzag; top with a dollop of sweet relish.
•     Divide onion among hot dogs.
•     Top each with a sport pepper or a peperoncino. Sprinkle with celery salt.

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American, Fast food,

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Maple-Roasted Chicken with Sweet Potatoes

At the grocery store, you can save a little bit of money by purchasing a whole chicken instead of the breasts. This recipe utilizes the whole bird and cooks in one dish, making cleanup a breeze. Simply cut the poultry into eight pieces, toss with a maple syrup glaze, and bake.

Hands-On Time
15 minutes Total Time 100 minutes

Ingredients
1 3 1/2- to 4-pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces
1 yellow onion, cut into 1-inch wedges
2 small sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons maple syrup
6 sprigs fresh thyme
 
Directions

•     Heat oven to 400° F.
•     Rinse the chicken and pat it dry. Arrange the chicken, onion, and sweet potatoes in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Drizzle the oil over the chicken and vegetables and season with the salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Drizzle with the maple syrup and top with the sprigs of thyme.
•     Roast, stirring the vegetables once, until the chicken is cooked through, about 1 hour, 15 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

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Chicken, Sweet Potatoes,

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Pan-Roasted Chicken With Lemon-Garlic Green Beans

The only thing better than a one-dish dinner is a well-rounded one-dish dinner. In this easy recipe, chicken breasts bake atop a bed of quartered potatoes and green beans. A light dressing of lemon, garlic, and olive oil lend bold, bright flavor to the entire dish.


Hands-On Time
15  minutes Total Time 75 minutes

Ingredients
6 tablespoons olive oil
2 lemons, 1 thinly sliced, 1 juiced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 pound trimmed green beans
8 small red potatoes, quartered
4 chicken breasts (bones left in, with skin, about 3 1/4 pounds)
 
Directions

•     Preheat oven to 450°F. Coat a large baking dish or cast-iron skillet with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Arrange the lemon slices in a single layer in the bottom of the dish or skillet.
•     In a large bowl, combine the remaining oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper; add the green beans and toss to coat. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, remove the green beans and arrange them on top of the lemon slices. Add the potatoes to the same olive-oil mixture and toss to coat. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, arrange the potatoes along the inside edge of the dish or skillet on top of the green beans. Place the chicken in the same bowl with the olive-oil mixture and coat thoroughly. Place the chicken, skin-side up, in the dish or skillet. Pour any of the remaining olive-oil mixture over the chicken.
•     Roast for 50 minutes. Remove the chicken from the dish or skillet. Place the beans and potatoes back in oven for 10 minutes more or until the potatoes are tender. Place a chicken breast on each of 4 serving plates; divide the green beans and potatoes equally. Serve warm.

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Beans, Chicken, Garlic, Lemon,

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Bourbon Apple Cake

Made with instant grits (yes, grits!) and spiked with bourbon, this fruit-laden cake has a double dose of Southern flavor. It takes just 15 minutes of hands-on prep time, making it a great choice for the busy host who needs a delicious, foolproof, and quick recipe.
 
Hands-On Time
15 minutes Total Time 95 minutes

Ingredients
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted, plus more for the pan
1/2 cup all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1/3 cup instant grits
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon fine salt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons bourbon
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 apples, chopped

Directions

•     Heat oven to 350° F.
•     Butter an 8-inch springform pan and set on a rimmed baking sheet.
•     Whisk together the flour, grits, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl; set aside.
•     In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs until foamy. Add the sugar, bourbon, and vanilla and whisk to combine. Whisk in the flour mixture and butter in alternate additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix until just combined. Fold in the apples. (The batter will be very apple-heavy.) Transfer the batter to the prepared pan.
•     Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the cake is golden brown, 60 to 70 minutes. Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes.
•     Run an offset spatula or butter knife around the edge of the pan to loosen, then remove the sides of the pan.
•     Serve warm or at room temperature.

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Apple, Bourbon, cake,

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Cedar-Plank Salmon

This seafood main is impressive, yet low-effort—the cedar board (available at gourmet food stores) does most of the work for you! Coat a quality cut of salmon with a simple rub of brown sugar, thyme, and cayenne before grilling. The result is a slightly smoky, perfectly flaky fish dinner. Nobody will miss the burgers and dogs.


Hands-On Time
15 minutes Total Time 90 minutes


Ingredients
1 2-pound salmon fillet, skin on
1 cedar plank, soaked in water 20 minutes
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 tablespoon dried thyme leaves
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions

•     Preheat a gas grill to high; adjust to medium low after 15 minutes. (If cooking over charcoal, allow the coals to burn until they are covered with white ash.)
•     Place the salmon skin-side down on the cedar plank.
•     Combine the brown sugar, oil, thyme, and cayenne in a bowl. Brush over the salmon.
•     Place the planked salmon on the grilling grate and cook, with the grill covered, until mostly cooked through but still slightly pink in the middle, about 40 minutes.

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Salmon,

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Mustardy Kale Salad with Roasted Sweet Potato and Apple

Packed with protein and fiber, this hearty main course salad is a nutritional powerhouse. Combine the kale, roasted sweet potato, chopped apple, and almonds in a large bowl and drizzle with a tangy mustard vinaigrette. Once dressed, massage the kale with clean hands to make the salad more palatable.


Hands-On Time
20 minutes Total Time 35 minutes


Ingredients
2 sweet potatoes (about 2 pounds), cut into 3/4-inch pieces
6 tablespoons olive oil kosher salt and black pepper
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 bunches Tuscan or lacinato kale or 1 medium bunch curly kale, thick stems removed and leaves torn into bite-size pieces (about 10 cups)
1 Pink Lady or Honeycrisp apple, thinly sliced
1/4 cup chopped roasted almonds
4 ounces shaved pecorino

Directions

•     Heat oven to 400° F. Toss the sweet potatoes with 2 tablespoons of the oil and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper on 2 rimmed baking sheets.
•     Roast, rotating the sheets and tossing the potatoes halfway through, until lightly browned and tender, 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool slightly.
•     Meanwhile, whisk together the lemon juice, mustard, the remaining 4 tablespoons of oil, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper in a large bowl.
•     Add the kale and rub together with clean hands to tenderize and coat the leaves. Add the apple, almonds, and sweet potatoes and toss to combine.
•     Serve the salad topped with the shaved pecorino.

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Apple, Potato, Salad,

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Chicken Tikka Masala

A good foray into Indian food, this tomato-based dish is light on the warm spices but still has distinct ethnic flair. Sprinkle garam masala (an aromatic blend of spices like cumin, coriander, black pepper, cinnamon, and cardamom) into a basic tomato sauce. Adding the raw chicken to the sauce helps ensure the chicken soaks up all those delicious flavors while it cooks.

Hands-On Time
10 minutes Total Time 4 hours, 10 minutes to 8 hours, 10 minutes


Ingredients
1 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons garam masala (Indian spice blend) kosher salt and black pepper
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 8)
1/2 English cucumber, halved and thinly sliced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 cup basmati or some other long-grain white rice
1/2 cupheavy cream

Directions

•     In a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker, combine the tomatoes, onion, garlic, tomato paste, garam masala, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Place the chicken on top of the vegetables, cover, and cook until the chicken is tender, on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours (this will shorten total recipe time).
•     In a small bowl, toss the cucumber and cilantro with the lemon juice and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for up to 8 hours.
•     Twenty minutes before serving, cook the rice according to the package directions.
•     Just before serving, stir the cream into the chicken tikka masala. Serve over the rice with the cucumber relish.

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Chicken, Tikka Masala,

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