Stock, of any variety, is a staple to anyone who actually uses their kitchen because it’s a part of many major recipes. It can be used for deglazing vegetables, a base for yummy soups, and of course, it heals anything that may be ailing you (re: Jewish penicillin.)

It takes all of ten minutes to prep, about four hours to cook, and eight to twelve hours to cool. You can freeze it for long periods of time, reheat it whenever you need, and it’s easily adaptable!

Okay, on to the important part.

To start your stock, you need the chicken.

Pro-Tip #1: NEVER use boneless breasts for stock. Bones are what give flavor to everything.

For my stock, I used two chicken thighs and one chunk of random bones that I prefer to not describe or look at. I happen to have access to an amazing butcher that is breaking down chickens all day so it was easy to get these extra parts. If you have a local grocer (not a chain store) or even a specialty butcher shop, you can go in, tell them you’re making stock, and that you need chicken bones, and they’ll probably hand them over for free. You can use all random bones or even a whole roasting chicken if you’re planning to use the meat after.

I am doing this in a slow cooker because I don’t have a large stockpot. Really, it doesn’t matter the vessel, you just want it to be a heavy-bottomed vessel that you can cook in over an extended period of time, and you want it to be at least eight quarts.

Now, for the vegetables. The base of almost any soup or stock on the planet is called mirepoix, otherwise known as onions, celery, and carrots. You can learn about the history of it here if you’d like.

Anyway, give these a quick rough chop, keeping them in fairly large chunks, and toss them in with the chicken, along with a couple whole, peeled garlic cloves. Next, come the spices. I go with salt, whole peppercorns, and a couple bay leaves because I like to keep it simple. There are no measurements for these because it’s up to you.

Remember that the more ingredients you’re putting into the pot, the less water goes in, so there won’t be as much actual stock that gets produced because it all reduces down.

Pro-Tip #2: Go easy on the salt. You can always add salt later but you can never remove it.

Be mindful that this is chicken STOCK, not soup, so you want to make it flavorful, but also mellow so you can use it for many things.

Everything goes into the pot with the chicken and now it’s time for the water. You want to fill up your pot or slow cooker almost to the top but leave room for it to boil. For me, this was 9 cups of water.

And that’s all she wrote, folks! Turn on your pot, put the lid on, bring everything to a boil for a couple minutes, and then let it simmer on low for about 4-5 hours. After it’s done and the chicken is cooked completely through, strain it out and let it cool for about eight to ten hours, or until there’s this nice layer of fat on top. You’ll scoop this off once it’s completely cool and be left with delicious, smooth chicken stock!

Pro-Tip #3: Don’t use your stock until you’ve scooped the fat off the top or it will be really greasy.

How to freeze: You can freeze it in ice cube trays so you can add it to soups or random recipes. I freeze it in plastic, air-tight quart containers, personally, but it’s up to you. When you’re ready to use, just boil it for a couple minutes and voila! I told you it was easy.

Basically, this is chicken soup pared down to its most basic form. Winter is coming and we all know that means the flu is on the way. Having stock handy is great for healing your icky sickness and all you have to do is boil up some chicken and toss it into your already made stock!

INGREDIENTS | Makes about 2 quarts

• 3-4 pieces of chicken, or chunks of bone
• 1 large onion
• 2-3 large carrots
• 3-4 stalks of celery
• 3-4 whole, peeled garlic cloves
• Salt
• Whole black peppercorns
• Bay leaves

RECIPE

1. Place chicken parts in large stockpot or slow cooker.
2. Rough chop onion, carrots and celery. Throw in pot with garlic.
3. Sprinkle in salt, a small pinch of peppercorns and two bay leaves.
4. Pour in water so everything is covered, leaving an inch of room at the top.
5. Bring everything to a boil for a couple minutes, then turn down to low for about 4-5 hours.
6. Strain out. Put meat to the side, if preferred.
7. Chill for 8-10 hours or until everything is cool and a layer of fat has formed at the top.
8. Scoop off fat layer and prepare for freezing or serving.

The post Making the Basics: Chicken Stock appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

Why do we share this? Well, potatoes are a great gift from Mother Nature because of the multitude of purposes they can serve. They are packed with nutrients and, when prepared properly, delicious. They are adaptable to almost every method of cooking, not to mention they’re super cheap, so it’s easy to feed yourself well on a budget. They’re also excellent as a thickener in soup, especially when you’re avoiding dairy products.

I love to eat soup as a whole meal and I really try to maintain a balanced diet (try being the operative word here), so I like to keep cream and milk out of my soup recipes. This is where taters really show their worth.

In the past, I’ve used cream cheese to make a baked potato soup and although it was incredibly delicious, it came out basically the texture of mashed potatoes and had essentially zero beneficial nutrients. This time I wanted to do a vegetable based soup and completely leave out the milk products.

I’m currently on a huge Brussels sprouts kick, and I’ve found they’re magical when paired with leeks, so I figured okay, let’s throw in potatoes too and see what happens. Good news- it’s great!

Start with your leeks. Like celery, you’re only going to use the stalk part of the leek, so cut off the dark greens at the end so you’re left with a big chunk of mostly white and maybe a little light green. Slice as thin as you can, and if it’s a big stalk, cut it in half lengthwise first so you end up with little strips rather than circular pieces. These unassuming, crunchy dudes pack a nice little punch that brightens up the earthy flavor of the sprouts.

Toss these into a big heavy-bottomed pot. Similarly, we’re going for small pieces of the sprouts, so chop off the ends and halve them. Go for quarters if they’re big ol’ Brussels.

Now, for the taters. I used russets because they’re pretty starchy so they’ll provide that nice, creamy texture, but you could experiment with sweet potatoes or reds. As for as peeling, this is up to you. The peels may not blend up very well but it could be a nice textural contrast so try it if you want! Chop into ½ inch cubes. Smash about four cloves of fresh garlic and toss those in too. Don’t worry about chopping them since they’re already small. Fresh garlic is a Brussels sprout’s best friend.

All of these are going into your stockpot with about 4 tbsp of butter (okay, so I left in one dairy product.) You can use olive oil if you want but I think butter is better for softening veggies, which is what we’re going for here.

This part of the recipe is focused more on getting the produce to a tender stage, and you’re looking for caramelization, especially on the leeks and brussels sprouts. Make sure to liberally salt the veggies while they’re in the pot, as salt helps to release moisture especially in dense vegetables like these.

You’ll be blending everything together at the end, so don’t worry if there are some extra crispy pieces. These are going to add great flavor

Let everything sauté for about 10-15 minutes, making sure to constantly stir. Once the potatoes start to fall apart and the sprouts and leeks look a little crispy and brown, add in your stock. I went with vegetable but chicken stock will be great too. You want the liquid to completely cover the vegetables by at least an inch.

Keep the heat on low, cover the pot, and let everything cook for 30-45 minutes. Taste as it cooks and add salt when necessary.

Salt in every stage for better depth of flavor, rather than just salting at the end. 

The potatoes should be completely soft and mashable so you can properly blend. This can be done with a handheld immersion blender (my personal favorite) or in batches in a regular blender. Be careful either way as hot soup doesn’t feel so great when splattered on human skin.

You can blend fully so the soup is completely liquid, or you can keep it slightly chunky if that’s what you’re into. Top with some fried leeks and sprouts, maybe some parmesan cheese, or some bacon, and there you go! A tasty, super simple, and fairly healthful meal that shows not only the diversity of the spud, but is incredibly delicious and something we thing Chris Voigt would love to try.

INGREDIENTS | Makes 6 servings

• 1 ½ cups leeks, sliced
• 1 ½ Brussels sprouts, chopped
• 4 russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 4 garlic cloves
• 4 tbsp butter
• 6 cups stock, vegetable or chicken
• Salt and pepper, to taste

RECIPE

1. Place chopped leeks, potatoes, brussels sprouts, and garlic into heavy-bottomed stock pot with butter and a large pinch of salt. Heat to medium low and sauté vegetables until soft.
2. Pour in stock so all vegetables are submerged. Keep heat on low and simmer for 30-45 minutes, or until potatoes are completely cooked and tender.
3. Blend using a handheld or regular blender until it reaches your preferred texture.

The post Soup’s On: Potato, Brussels Sprouts and Leeks appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

“I’ve always associated chili with winter, and it’s become a staple of the season. It also happens to be a seriously easy food to make, and you can whip large batches and freeze it for later.”

What’s winter food? You know, like soups, stews, things that are hearty — things like spicy black bean and corn chili My fondest memories of eating chili are from when I was younger, and we’d go to the local college to watch football games.

There would be a large group of us with piles of blankets, screaming and yelling, and after we’d won (because they were good back then), we’d trek back to a friend’s house for a giant bowl of steaming hot chili.

Since then, I’ve always associated chili with winter, and my spicy black bean and corn chili has become a staple of the season. It also happens to be a seriously easy food to make, and you can make it in large quantities and freeze it later. Chili is versatile, meaning you can adjust the spices and vegetables to fit your tastes or the tastes of the people who live with you.

You’ll want to do this in your slow cooker, or a large, heavy-bottomed pot. If you’re using a slow cooker, you’ll want to do the first few steps in a regular pan, as you can’t sauté in a crockpot.

Start by browning your meat. I went with some really nice, lean ground beef, but you can also do ground turkey if you want. Both hold up well in this dish. Sprinkle in some salt and pepper, and make sure it’s fully cooked, then drain it and put it aside (or in your slow cooker.) 

Pro-tip: The draining is essential because while that fat tastes good, it’s going to pool up in the chili and then you’ll just end up with mouthfuls of it.

Next are the veggies. I go simple here because I don’t really like chunks in my chili. My veggie combo is onions, garlic, black beans, and corn. You don’t need to drain the black beans if you want- their liquid adds some flavor. You could totally add in squash, other kinds of beans, or any other vegetables. Just make sure you sauté them before you put them in the chili.

Sweat out the onions and garlic, and throw in the black beans and corn just to get them warmed up. You’re not fully cooking the veg here because they’ll keep going in the pot itself, and no one likes disintegrating produce.

Dump the meat and your vegetable mixture into your pot or slow cooker, and add in one monster can of crushed tomatoes, one regular sized can of diced tomatoes, and then use that can to dump in some water. The water is optional, but I like the texture a little thinner.

Now, the seasonings. These are totally adjustable, especially for the spicy ones. We like things with a little heat in my house, so there’s a little more pepper in my recipe. My spice mix is as follows: salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, cayenne, chili powder, and cumin. Dump these in too, give the whole thing a mix, lid it, and you’re done. If you’re using a slow cooker, keep it on high for about 4 hours. If you’re using a regular pot, try medium-low for a couple hours.

Chili doesn’t really have to be cooked very long but it might taste a little watery or diluted if you eat it right away, so I like to let it sit for a while. Of course, I top the whole thing with a silly amount of cheese, and some crushed up tortilla chips, but you could add sour cream or even avocado if you’re feeling fancy.

INGREDIENTS| Makes 4-6 servings

• 1 lb ground meat
• ½ large onion
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 can of black beans
• 1 can of yellow corn, drained
• 1 large can crushed tomatoes
• 1 small can diced tomatoes
• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
• ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
• ½ tsp chili powder
• ½ tsp cumin
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp pepper

RECIPE

1. Brown the meat with some salt and pepper until fully cooked. Drain and set aside (or in your slow cooker, if cooking separately.)
2. Sauté onions and garlic, and any other vegetables you are adding. Add to cooking vessel.
3. Dump in tomatoes and spice mixture. Stir well.
4. Cook for 3-4 hours on medium low (stockpot) or high (slow cooker).
5. Taste throughout and add seasonings if necessary.
6. Top with cheese, sour cream, tortilla chips, or avocado (or anything else you can think of.)

The post Warm Your Soul: Spicy Black Bean and Corn Chili appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

“I went with the Creekstone 28-Day Dry Age Burger, which had shoestring potatoes, spinach, Guinness-braised onion aioli and was served with fried Brussels sprouts. More on those later.”

That said, you should go to Tavern on Jane.

I was meeting a friend for dinner in the West Village and I was tasked with picking our restaurant (my favorite job), and I settled on American food as our cuisine.

Yelp offered me a few locations in the neighborhood that would give me a hamburger but most of them were too frilly or expensive, and we just wanted a good, hearty meal.

So we went to Tavern on Jane.

When I walked in on a Wednesday night, the bar was packed. The lights were dim, there was music playing, and it smelled like caramelizing onions and frying potatoes, plus there were crayons on the table. Perfection.

A two-top was immediately available and of course, I looked at the drink list first. Hello, options! There were about 25 beers between the drafts, imports, and bottles, and the cocktail, wine and whiskey lists were all fairly extensive as well.

My friend arrived and although he had just resolved to be a pescatarian, we quickly decided we would get two burgers and split them since we wanted to taste them all but figured that would be a little excessive.

He chose the Santa Fe Burger which came with grilled green chiles, pepperjack cheese, and french fries on the side.

I went with the Creekstone 28-Day Dry Age Burger, which had shoestring potatoes, spinach, Guinness-braised onion aioli and was served with fried Brussels sprouts. (I’ll get back to those.)

All of the meat in this restaurant is from Pat La Freida so I knew it would be high-quality, and it definitely stood up to the reputation. Flavorful and a little smoky, each burger was delicious, although I will say one was a little closer to medium than the other was.

In my personal opinion, the fastest way to kill a good burger is with a sad bun, but Tavern on Jane didn’t disappoint. The sesame buns were toasty and warm, and made good homes for the cheese and aioli, respectively, although I could have used a little more aioli on mine (I just can’t say no to Guinness onions.) I was personally a huge fan of the heaping piled of shoestring potatoes on the Creekstone burger, as they added an amazing crunchy texture compared to the soft, supple patty.

Now, those fried Brussels sprouts. First of all, I’m a big fan of the sprouts. The only way I won’t eat them is steamed but other than that, bring ‘em on. So you can imagine my excitement when they showed up fried, with apples, red onions, and…wait for it….bacon. Like peanut butter and jelly, bacon and Brussels sprouts are a perfect marriage. This little bowl of magic went pretty quickly between the two of us- we couldn’t get enough!

My only (slight) complaint would be the lack of salt. The fries were perfectly done, crispy on the outside but soft in the middle, except there was not a drop of salt on them which made me a little bit sad. I don’t think there was any salt in the burger, on any of the toppings, or in the sprouts either, but there was a bottle on the table so I wasn’t completely out of luck.

That being said, it’s obvious that their ingredients are fresh and they do a fantastic job of highlighting each to create a well-rounded, super-satisfying burger. Two thumbs up to Tavern on Jane!

The post NYC Restaurant Review: Tavern on Jane appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

1. As far as cooking, it’s pretty easy. Generally, the spice combinations are simple, and the proteins and vegetables are interchangeable.
2. It’s probably one of the most delicious cuisines out there! I mean, we already know I have a serious love of cheese so maybe I’m biased, but the mixture of melty cheese, salt and heat, and of course the millions of varieties of salsa just makes me really happy.

Note: Fajitas are a quick and easy, and they provide a completely well-rounded meal. Plus, if you make enough, you can have them a couple days in a row. Cha-ching!

Okay so for your fajitas, you want to focus on the protein and the veggies. I’m a serious steak lover, and I know that red meat goes very well with this spice combo, so I went that direction. You could do pork, chicken, or even tofu if you wanted.

Pro-tip: If you are using steak, go for a thinner variety like hangar, flank or skirt.

Whatever source of protein you’re using, make sure it’s fresh and room temperature before you begin cooking. Slice it up nice and thin and set aside. This provides the most surface area on each piece to soak up all the tasty flavors and will get nice and caramelized as you cook.

Now for the spices. Here’s another great thing about Mexican food: HEAT! Remember, like with all seasonings, you can always add more later but you can never take it away.

My fajita seasoning includes chili powder, cayenne powder, cumin, salt, pepper, and a dash of red pepper flakes. Obviously, it’s the cayenne and red pepper that provide your fire here, so use wisely. Mix these up in a bowl and toss them into a resealable bag with the olive oil, lime juice, and your protein. 

Seal up that bag and give the whole thing a vigorous shake, making sure the contents are easily distributed. Let it sit to the side for about 15 minutes and get to work on the rest of your ingredients.

Fajitas traditionally have sauteed onions and peppers on top but you could add in plenty of other things like mushrooms, garlic, leafy greens- the opportunities are endless! I went simple (and with what was in my fridge already) with onions, peppers, and garlic. For the bigger veggies, you just want skinny slices. Again, like the protein, you want to provide as much surface area to get that yummy caramelization. The garlic will get minced up super small and will get tossed in after, so keep it separate.

The veggies can get put in a saucepan with some butter, and put on medium-low heat. When caramelizing veggies, it’s better to go low and slow rather than high heat because you don’t want to risk burning. I also prefer butter to oil for flavor and for texture, as butter tends to give a smoother feel to the veggies and oil gives more of a fried, crispy edged feel. Once they’ve begun to sweat, or turn translucent, go ahead and toss in your minced garlic.

Pro-tip: Garlic burns extremely fast, especially when minced, so make sure there’s a decent amount of fat in your veggie pot. Mmm, butter.

Cast iron is great for caramelizing meats! Because you’ve already tossed yours in oil, there is no need to oil the pan. Just turn it on as high as it goes (and don’t forget to open windows and turn on the exhaust fan to avoid smoking out your apartment), and wait for the smoke signals. Once you see those white wisps, throw in the meat. Make sure each piece gets its own space, so do this step in batches to avoid overcrowding. Let each side sit for about 90 seconds before flipping, and don’t leave any side un-seared.

Since you cut up your proteins into skinny slices, you really won’t need much time, especially if it’s red meat which requires resting time anyway. Once each side of your protein pieces is caramelized to your liking, remove from the heat. Your veggies should be about done so it’s time to assemble!

This is the fun part because it’s completely customizable. Personally, I’m a purist. I use my steak, onions and peppers, shredded cheddar (from a block, not a bag, because preservatives are gross), flour tortillas because they’re softer, and a yummy, locally made salsa verde. But you can add guacamole, sour cream, and whatever else your heart desires!

If you’re feeling adventurous, toast up your tortillas in a pan with a little bit of butter for extra flavor! Plus who doesn’t like warm, buttery tortillas? Blend up some margaritas and you’ve got yourself an easy, yummy, Mexican dinner!

Ole! 

INGREDIENTS

• ½ pound protein- steak, chicken, tofu, etc.
• Tortillas – flour or corn
• ½ tsp chili powder
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp pepper
• ½ tsp cumin
• ¼ cayenne powder
• Dash of red pepper flakes
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• 2 tbsps vegetable or canola oil
• ½ white or red onion
• 1 bell pepper
• 1-2 garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter

RECIPE | Serves 2

1. Slice up uncooked protein into very thin slices.
2. Combine chili powder, cayenne, salt, pepper, cumin, red pepper, oil, and lime juice. Toss with protein in a resealable bag. Set aside
3. Slice vegetables into very thin slices. Mince garlic. Combine vegetables with butter in medium saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally to avoid burning. Once translucent, add in garlic and a dash of salt.
4. Use a cast iron skillet over very high heat for cooking protein. Once you see wisps of smoke, place marinated protein in the pan, in batches to avoid overcrowding. Sear evenly on each side until appropriately caramelized.
5. If cooking steak, remove the meat and let it rest for a couple minutes, covered.
6. Toast tortillas in a pan with a little butter.
7. Assemble protein, vegetables, cheese and other accessories.
8. Serve immediately!

The post Mexican Standouts: Make Fajitas Tonight appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

“So how do you know what’s seasonal? Look for the cheapest produce at the grocery store. When something is out of season, it means the farmer has to go to more extensive lengths to produce it, and therefore the prices are higher. It’s that simple.”

The idea of eating clean stems from the notion that you’re consuming foods that are made from Mother Nature, rather than a factory. Yes, some people take it very far and won’t even eat certain oils or have any butter or use any salt, but that’s just crazy to me. Sure, you can never look at a drop of butter or chocolate again but what’s that going to do for you? Let you be skinnier for an extra year? That’s cool, I guess.

For me, I aim for moderation. I eat lots of veggies but I season them really well and sometimes cook them in a little butter. It’s called balance, people.

That’s where stuffed peppers come in. You can take all these delicious, healthful veggies and mix them all up in a yummy sauce and shove them in another vegetable and voila! You have a super tasty meal that also happens to be good for you. What’s better than that?

So for this recipe, I went with seasonal vegetables because I have easy access to them. How do you know what’s seasonal? Look for the cheapest produce at the grocery store. When something is out of season, it means the farmer has to go to more extensive lengths to produce it, and therefore the prices are higher.

Anyway, back to the veggies. I used Brussels sprouts, leeks, potatoes (sweet and russet), onions, and garlic. The Brussels sprouts and leeks can get finely sliced, and everything else should get a small dice (cubes) so it cooks down easily. There really isn’t an exact science to this, so don’t get stressed out about proportions.

Saute all your diced veggies (except the garlic) in olive oil on medium heat until everything is nice and soft. What does it mean to saute? Essentially you’re just using heat and oil to pull the moisture out of the vegetables and cook them down. Make sure to season with salt and pepper while they’re cooking, and stir them around continuously so they don’t burn.

After a few minutes, you should notice a little crust forming on the bottom of your pan. Most people assume this is just burnt garbage and ignore it but they are sorely mistaken. This is all the good stuff! It’s the oil and seasonings and flavor from all the veggies that’s gotten nice and toasty. This is when we deglaze the pan.

Turn up your heat just a little bit and pour in any kind of cooking liquid. This could be wine or stock, or if you’re me and you have random soups in the fridge, you can use some of the liquid for those. The more flavorful the liquid, the better your mixture will taste- I went with the beef stew I had just made and it was the bomb.com.

So you pour in just a smidge and you should hear a sizzle. Take this opportunity to scrape up some of the yummy bits from the bottom and mix it all together, then turn down the heat. The extra liquid helps your vegetables cook down even further. Every now and then, continue to add just a little bit of liquid just to help enhance the flavor. You’re going to do this until the potatoes are really tender.

WAIT! You don’t want to completely cook the vegetables though because you’re still going to bake these, and no one like soggy veggies. At the very end, right before they’re done in the pan, throw in your garlic. Garlic cooks extremely fast and if it stays in the pan too long, it can burn.

Okay so your vegetable mix should be looking all delicious and it should smell pretty amazing in your house too. Let it sit for just a second while you prep your peppers.

You want to make sure it’s a pretty big pepper otherwise it won’t fill you up. Slice off just the top and core out the seeds so you have a cute little pepper container for that tasty mixture you just made. I like to use a high-walled pan so they don’t fall over. You can also shove some foil in between to help hold them up.

Now, pour the mixture into each pepper so it comes just to the top of the open pepper, and then top it with cheese. I went with parmesan but you could do cheddar, pepper jack, or really any kind of firm cheese you want. The goal is just to get something that melts well.

These go in a 375 degree oven for about 18 minutes, or until the cheese is completely melted and starting to brown.

Here’s the great thing about stuffed peppers. You can stuff them with literally anything. Throw some browned ground beef, or shredded chicken, in there. Or maybe some chorizo and corn for a little Tex-Mex flair? The combinations are honestly endless. Just make sure you don’t cook the internal mixture 100% before it goes in the oven or it could come out dry. Get creative and remember, eating healthy doesn’t have to be painful or tasteless! It’s all about moderation.

INGREDIENTS | For One Pepper

• Large bell pepper of any color
• 6 large brussels sprouts
• One leek
• Half a Russet potato
• Half a sweet potato
• ¼ red or yellow onion
• Cooking liquid- stock, wine or soup
• 1 clove of garlic
• Salt
• Pepper
• Olive oil

RECIPE

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Finely slice Brussels sprouts and leeks. Only use the firm part of the leek, not the floppy ends.
3. Dice the onion and potatoes, and mince the garlic.
4. Saute sprouts, leeks, potatoes and onion on medium high heat. Season well with salt and pepper.
5. Deglaze with cooking liquid of your choice by slightly turning up the heat and pouring liquid in, then scraping the bottom of the pan.
6. Turn the heat down and let mixture simmer. Continue to add small amounts of liquid until vegetables are soft and homogenous.  Add garlic.
7. Slice off top of pepper and stand it up in a high walled pan.
8. Pour in vegetable mixture and top with shredded cheese.
9. Bake for about 18 minutes or until cheese is melted and golden brown.
10. Serve immediately!

The post Eat All of Your Veggies Together with a Stuffed Pepper appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

“Chicken Tortilla is honestly one of the easiest soups you’ll ever make, because it’s basically created by dumping a bunch of ingredients into a pot and stirring. But it’s as delicious as it is easy.”

There’s something so fun and delicious about incorporating an entire meal into one bowl that warms you from the insides and brightens up even the gloomiest of cold days.

My roommate and I have a deal in our house: I cook, she bakes, and we both win. So in exchange for the chocolate cake that I asked for—which was waiting patiently on the kitchen counter when I came home from work—I made her favorite soup, chicken tortilla.

I started this recipe last fall and have given it a few tries over the last year, but I have to say, it’s finally perfect. Not to mention fairly healthy and definitely filling. The best part of this recipe is all of the add-ins and delicious ingredients that you can choose from to really round out your soup.

I started this recipe last fall and have given it a few tries over the last year, but I have to say, it’s finally perfect. Not to mention fairly healthy and definitely filling. The best part of this recipe is all of the add-ins and delicious ingredients that you can choose from to really round out your soup.

It’s important when you’re cooking to be clean and prepared, which is why I like to get my spice mixtures ready ahead of time. With spicy ingredients, you should start with less and add more so it’s not overwhelming. Unfortunately, that’s something I’ve learned from experience. So I began with ½ a teaspoon of cayenne pepper and chili pepper and added more as I went.

Now, let’s cook that chicken. I’ve found that poaching is the most effective technique for keeping the chicken juicy and flavorful. You’ll want a good liquid to poach in (that’s not water), like a chicken or vegetable stock, or if you’re as lucky as me, corn broth! Basically the idea is you’re keeping all the moisture in and adding flavor at the same time.

“Top with tortilla chips, or cheese, or even avocado if you’re feeling fancy. This super-yummy, belly-filling meal sure to please everyone who eats it.”

Season your chicken with a little salt and pepper and let it sit for a few minutes so the seasonings get good and stuck. In a large (4-5 quart) pot, bring your chosen liquid up to almost a full boil and submerge the chicken. There might be a little bit of the chicken breast uncovered by the liquid, but that’s okay. Keeping it at medium heat, let the chicken sit for about 10-12 minutes, and then flip over so each side gets evenly cooked. Make sure you check the temperature of the inside of the chicken by cutting into it, and only remove when it’s cooked almost fully through. You don’t want it to be 100% cooked as it will finish in the soup itself.

While the chicken is cooking, get working on those veggies. I like to saute some onions, garlic and bell peppers for some of that Mexican flavor in the soup. Give the onions and peppers a rough chop or medium dice, and toss them in a pan with some olive oil, salt, and pepper. Sweat them out, or cook until translucent, and then add a finely minced clove or two of garlic and your can of black beans. The point of doing these things together is to combine all those yummy flavors for a consistent blend that will bring the whole thing together.

This is honestly one of the easiest soups you’ll ever make, because it’s basically created by dumping a bunch of ingredients into a pot and stirring. Side note: I picked whole tomatoes for my second can of tomatoes because I really just enjoy squishing them myself. Plus, it’s a nice variety of texture.

You can use pre-crushed tomatoes if you don’t enjoy the mess.

Pour your tomatoes, tomato paste, green chilies (if they’re separate from your tomatoes), and your sauteed veggie mixture into the pot of broth and turn to a medium-low heat. Add in your spice mixture and let this simmer with a lid for a few minutes, making sure to stir occasionally. You may have to stir a little vigorously to fully dissolve the tomato paste but you’ll notice a consistency change once it’s fully incorporated.

This is a great time to pick your chicken. Yeah, that’s a weird sentence but it just means shredding your chicken with two forks, or your hands if you’re an animal (#noshame.) You’ll want the pieces to be relatively small so you’re not getting enormous chicken chunks and no soup on your spoon.

Once the liquid and vegetable mixture is the right level of spicy and flavorful and the veggies have mixed in nicely, toss in the shredded chicken, give it a stir, and voila! You have a super-yummy, belly-filling meal sure to please everyone who eats it. Top with tortilla chips, or cheese, or even avocado if you’re feeling fancy. This soup can continue to cook or you can serve immediately, and it also freezes really well, so no pressure.

INGREDIENTS

Soup

• Two boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 28 oz. can whole or crushed tomatoes
• 8 oz. cans of tomato paste (2)
• 2 oz. can diced tomatoes
• 4 oz. can diced green chilis (optional)
• 12 oz. can black beans
• ½ diced yellow onion
• ½ diced bell pepper (color of your choice)
• Clove of garlic
• Quart of stock- chicken, veggie, corn

Spice Mixture

• Cayenne pepper
• Paprika
• Chili Powder
• Garlic Powder
• Salt
• Pepper

RECIPE| Feeds 4-6

• Season thawed, room temperature chicken with salt and pepper. In a large pot, bring cooking liquid to a low boil.
• Place chicken in the pot, almost completely submerging in the liquid, and turn down to medium heat.
• Dice onion and pepper. Mince garlic. Saute onions and peppers in olive oil until translucent and add garlic and black beans.
• Once chicken is 90% cooked, remove and let stand.
• Combine all spices in a small bowl, starting with 1/2 tsp each and adding to taste.
• In the pot of broth, add in tomatoes, tomato paste, veggies and spice mixture. Let simmer covered for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Shred your chicken with two forks until deconstructed into small string-like pieces.
• Add into soup for 2 minutes and stir.
• Serve with tortilla chips, cheese or avocado.

The post It’s Soup Season: Here’s How to Make a Delicious Chicken Tortilla appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

“Have you ever tried elote, also known as Mexican street corn? If you have, this is better than any you’ve enjoyed before. And if you haven’t? Prepare to have your life changed.”

With its charming neighborhoods, beautiful skyline views, and amazing rooftop bars, Brooklyn is definitely the best borough. If I’m being honest, Brooklyn has the most incredible food out of the boroughs, and it has Smorgasburg, the fabulous outdoor food festival hosted in Williamsburg.

The first step, especially if it’s your first time, is to take a full lap around to survey the premises. It’s important to know what your options are before committing to your menu.  Make sure you go with friends so you can split each dish and have more room for more food.

Now, it’s easy to get overwhelmed because of the plethora of choices, and everyone finds their own favorites at Smorgasburg. But here’s an outline for your food-consuming strategy. Also, these are just some of the things I enjoy there, so don’t feel the need to eat every single one. More power to you if you do.

Pro-tip: Buy a $1 water bottle from the vendors outside the festival as it’s the cheapest you’ll find.

I like to start with a beverage, particularly the Vermont Maple Lemonade, which is so simple and yet unbelievably delicious.

The owner actually drives every weekend from Vermont to bring 100 gallons of his fresh maple lemonade to Brooklyn. I know it sounds basic, but the maple syrup adds a real uniqueness to the lemonade without making it too sweet. It’s also great as a dessert, but I can never wait that long to enjoy it.

Next is the appetizer. Have you ever tried elote, also known as Mexican street corn? If you have, this is better than any you’ve enjoyed before. And if you haven’t? Prepare to have your life changed.

This magical delicacy is from a stand called Vaquero, and it is definitely the best deal at Smorgasburg. For a low low price of $4, you can get a grilled piece of fresh sweet corn, smothered in salty butter, sprinkled with chili powder, rolled in crumbled cotija cheese and then drizzled with lime juice. No big deal. Except it’s a giant deal.

Time for the next course. As you can tell, I’m all about the simply delicious, and this one is no different.

The guys at Santa Salsa do a Venezuelan hot dog like no one else.

I’d never had a Venezuelan hot dog before, but now that I have, I don’t think I can go back to the regular kind. Santa Salsa make a Perro con Todo that will blow your mind, and make you rethink the American hot dog. It’s a kosher all-beef dog in a pretty generic bun but it’s topped with onions, cabbage, ketchup, mustard, cheddar cheese, CRUSHED POTATO CHIPS (yes, potato chips on a hot dog), and this outstanding sweet corn sauce they call Santa Salsa. The service is really slow, but it’s just the two guys behind the counter, so be patient, because it is so worth it.

Okay, next up is the main course, and it’s a stunner. A jianbing is a Chinese breakfast dish that resembles a savory crepe, but is just so much better.

They start with this super thin batter and spread it on a very hot stone.

Next comes an equally as thin egg mixture which cooks with the batter and creates a sticky base for the toppings that come next. The original has scallions, their special house “13 sauce,” their homemade chili sauce, cilantro and this awesome crispy cracker that goes in the middle. Now you can stick with the original and be very happy, or you can up the ante and go for the hoisin-lime beef and really change your game. All of the Asian flavors come together in a tasty mouthful with a fantastic crunch in the middle.

The jianbing is quite large so I definitely recommend splitting it with someone.

If you still have room and you’re not ready for dessert, go for the Big Mozz sticks. Big Mozz makes their own mozzarella right here in Brooklyn and let me tell you, the difference is noticeable. It’s creamy and smooth and makes an unreal mozzarella stick.

They gently batter it and then, of course, toss it in the fryer for a delightful crispy stick. They are enormous, and there’s four to the order so definitely share them.

Now dessert. There are plenty of ice cream options but after all the food courses, I like to go with something light. Enter People’s Pops. They offer a delicious selection of popsicles and shaved ices, all made from fresh fruits and juices and crafted right here in Brooklyn.

I went for the blueberry melon pop which was delicately sweet and had a nice melon finish. It was a perfect end to my really delicious day.

The post Attention Brooklyn: Here’s Your Guide to Smorgasburg appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

“Mostly, this meal is about timing. Getting everything on the plate at the same time is the real trick, so having every ingredient prepped and ready to go is essential.”

And until a few years ago, I felt had to wait until someone splurged and took me to Craftsteak or Peter Luger to get my meaty fix. For some reason, even with all my culinary experience, I was under the impression that cooking steak properly involved crazy witchcraft, and only the best grill masters could accomplish this impossible feat.

Well, Guess what? There’s no mystery to cooking a perfect steak.

Cooking steak on your own stove is straightforward and extremely gratifying. All you need is a cast iron pan and some salt. Seriously, it’s that easy.

Mostly, this meal is about timing, because none of the components really take that long.

Getting everything on the plate at the same time is the real trick, so having every ingredient prepped and ready to go is essential.

“I’m a proud believer that pesto is always completely done to taste, as in there really is no recipe.”

For the squash fritters, take your cooked spaghetti squash and mix it in a medium-sized bowl with an egg, some flour, and salt and pepper.

You probably don’t need more than one egg because the squash is fairly dense and holds a lot of moisture, so use your flour to even it out and create a nice bond. You want the mixture to hold up in a patty shape on its own.

After the fritters are formed, start your pesto. Rip up some Lacinato kale (the flat kind, not the curly kind), and some basil and throw it in a food processor with olive oil, a clove of garlic, parmesan cheese, lemon, and salt, and blitz away.

I’m a proud believer that pesto is always completely done to taste, as in there really is no recipe. The ratio of oil to greens will help create a smoother texture, and the salt and lemon will help balance out the slightly bitter flavor of the kale.

Just keep adding the ingredients in small amounts until it tastes right to you.

Now’s the time to chop up your veggies. I prefer shallots to onions but both are great in a frying pan. Give the kale a rough chop and dice up your onion/shallot, and keep off to the side.

The order of cooking is steak, fritters, veggies. Steak must rest for at least 50% of the time it’s been cooked so make sure you give it the right amount of time.

It’s important that your steak is room temperature before you put it in the pan and that the pan is super, super hot. As you’re heating up the pan, salt your steak (liberally) and then give it a nice coat of oil.

The oil will seal in the salt which helps the steak form that tasty crust when it hits the scorching hot cast iron (no need to oil the pan.) Lay the meat in the pan salt side down and let it sit for a couple minutes, or until it’s a nice brown color, and then flip. You can tell how rare a steak is by how squishy it feels when you push on it, or you can cut into it.

Once it’s the color you’re looking for, take it off the heat and transfer to a plate covered in foil to rest. Steak must rest for at least 50% of the time it’s been cooked so make sure you give it the right amount of time.

Use a light oil like vegetable or canola to fry the fritters, with about ¼ of an inch in the bottom of the pan, on medium-high heat. Lay the squash patties in gently and be careful of any splatter.

Let them sit until the bottom is crispy and golden brown. You can also bake these if you feel so inclined.

The onions and kale can go in the fritter oil so you don’t have to use up any more equipment. Cook them until the onions are translucent and the kale is wilted and dark green.

When the fritters are done, lay them on a couple of paper towels to drain any extra oil, and then lay them on whatever plate you’ll be eating them off of. Then, cut your steak either into strips and lay them over the fritters.

Pile on the sauteed veggies, drizzle with pesto, and BINGO! A delicious, well-rounded meal that will impress any date—just do a trial run with a friend first.

The post Cast Iron Gold: Steak, Squash Fritters and Pesto appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

“Chelsea Market an indoor mecca of food joy sparkling with the culinary energy of a street fair, and Rana is a magic heaven of fresh pasta.”

And that’s when Chelsea Market is there for you. Inside this indoor mecca of food joy are abundance of restaurants and tiny shops which offer tastes and dishes that could satisfy literally any craving you might have.

They have everything from taco stands, to shops stocked with myriad olive oils, to bakeries, to wine bars. It’s like an indoor mecca of food joy, and it’s all beautifully decorated like a street fair.

Inside Chelsea Market is a place called Rana, and it’s a magic heaven of fresh pasta divided into two distinct sections. The takeout section has rows and rows of homemade pasta, noodles, and ravioli of every shape, color, and size.

As you’d expect, they have a large menu where you can pick your pasta, sauce, and proteins. And there’s also a full-service dine-in restaurant with an incredibly extensive menu of unique pasta, salad and soups. It’s more elaborate so it’s a little more expensive. My friends and I went back and forth trying to decide if we wanted to dine in our take out- we actually sat down at a table for like two minutes before we figured out we wanted the take-out menu.

To be honest, the restaurant menu overwhelmed me because of the fantastic combinations of flavors that they offered, so we went with the simpler menu in the front of the place.

It wasn’t like it was much easier of a choice for me as they have at least 20 kinds of pasta to choose from. I asked the girl working what she thought, and she recommended doing a combination of the alfredo and marinara sauces together, and I went with the Brasato ravioli (filled with beef.)

It was AMAZING. Every ingredient was fresh, and I could taste it. The sprinkle of parmesan on top really brought all of it together for a fantastic bowl of pasta that I will never forget.

My friends went with a penne topped with their basil pesto and some fresh grilled chicken, and it was just as delicious!

There’s something about homemade pasta that will trump basically all other foods for me, and Rana did not disappoint. I did see some chocolate ravioli that were apparently filled with chocolate, but I was afraid if I got them, they wouldn’t make it home. If you’re in New York and love fresh pasta, you owe it to yourself to check out Rana!

The post Restaurant Review: Rana Pasta is a NYC Gem appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

I’d heard about Joe’s Shanghai through urban gossip (or just the fact that they’re really popular) so of course, I had to try them on my own. I mean, what sounds more delicious about the entire bowl of soup being in the dumpling served in a spoon? It’s as good as it sounds, I promise.

There are two kinds: pork, and a pork and crab mix. I highly recommend the combination dumpling. They’re salty and tangy, and incredibly delicious. The dumpling wrapper itself is similar to a gyoza, rather than a wonton, and is just ever-so-slightly sweet to balance out the salt of the meat inside. There are eight in an order so they’re great to share if you’re feeling generous.

The key to eating these babies is in the method. The soup inside the dumpling is really, really hot, and it’s been sitting in there in its own steam just keeping warm for you. The first time I ate them, I just went for it. Big mistake, yuge! The soup inside splashed and it hurt. So, instead, I take a little bite out of the top of the dumpling to make a little steam vent and drink some of the soup out of it. From there, it’s just easy to take a couple bites and enjoy my regular temperature dumpling!

You could order a whole bunch of dumplings, but Joe’s does have other tasty things on their menu, like the crispy shredded beef. Now, if you’re going to Chinatown for a healthy, greaseless meal, just turn around and go home. This beef dish is unbelievably delicious with its crunchy exterior and tangy orange sauce, and if you’re really in need of a vegetable, it comes with broccoli.

Joe’s is incredibly popular and there is always a wait, so be prepared. Go about a half hour before you’re actually hungry as that’s how long it will probably take you to get in and no, they don’t take reservations. You just walk up, tell them how many are in your party, and get a little ticket with a number. They’ll call your number when they’re ready and you’ll be seated family style, especially if you’re in a small party. Everyone’s there for the dumplings, so you’ll have something in common with the people next to you.

Go now. It’s incredibly worth it!

Joe’s Shanghai: 9 Pell Street

The post Restaraunt Review: Joe’s Shanghai appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

Sometimes I like to be unhealthy but without the guilt- this usually involves mixing vegetables with less healthy elements. I swear it’s logical…

Preheat the oven to 375.

Make sure the chicken breast is on the larger side, as well as completely thawed. Place it in a heavy duty Ziploc bag, and then take to it with any heavy thing you can find- preferably a mallet or meat tenderizer (this is my favorite part.) Pound the chicken until it is evenly thin, about a 1/4 inch, if you’re measuring. Be careful not to put any holes in it as it won’t roll well.

Find an oven-safe glass dish, about 9×9, and spray it with cooking spray. Lay your skinny chicken in the dish and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Now for the “dip.” It’s not full on spinach dip, but it tastes pretty good on its own so feel free to stick a chip in there first. Mind you, this recipe is for one chicken breast as I was only cooking for myself, so double it for each additional piece of chicken. Mix ¼ cup cream cheese, ¼ cup chopped spinach (fresh or frozen, but make sure it’s thawed either way), some salt, pepper, and garlic powder, and microwave it until the cream cheese is soft. Then sprinkle with some fresh parmesan.

Spoon this mixture into your piece of chicken and then fold up the sides of the chicken over the top, like you’re wrapping a present. Secure with toothpicks. Sprinkle a little more seasoning on top, and pop it in the oven. This will bake for about 20-25 minutes or until the chicken starts to brown. Keep an eye on it because the chicken is very thin so it will cook faster.

I chose to pair it with some sauteed brussel sprouts and green beans- you know, for the healthy part of it- but you can choose your own veggies if these don’t strike your fancy. Sauteed vegetables are very straightforward- just chop, throw in some olive oil, and stir around a pan until they’re the level of cooked that you prefer.

Midway through the cooking of my chicken, I decided I wanted some sauce. DISCLAIMER: I made way too much of it, so only use the following measurements if you’re making two dishes, or just make it and don’t pour all of it on the plate. Oops.

Melt 3 tbsps of butter in a saucepan with a minced clove of garlic. Once melted, pour in about ⅓ cup of white wine (great way to finish off any leftover bottles in the fridge), and a tbsp of dijon mustard. Squeeze in a little lemon juice if you have it. Let this simmer on low for just a couple minutes so it all mixes together.

When your chicken looks like it’s just a couple minutes from being done (you can cut through the middle to check), pour this sauce in the dish and keep cooking for about two more minutes. The chicken will soak up a lot of that buttery goodness.

Your chicken will be slightly brown on top, and there shouldn’t be any pink in the center when you cut through. I recommend only pouring some of the sauce onto the plate, although it makes for a pretty picture with all of it because it does become very rich.

If you’re really trying to maintain a level of healthy, just avoid the sauce altogether. Either way, enjoy!

INGREDIENTS | Makes 1-2 servings

Chicken

• 1 thawed chicken breast
• ¼ cup thawed chopped spinach
• ¼ cup cream cheese
• 1 tbsp parmesan cheese
• Cooking spray
• Salt
• Pepper
• Garlic powder
• Oregano

Sauce

• 3 tbsps salted butter
• ⅓ cup white wine
• 1 minced garlic clove
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• Salt
• Lemon juice

RECIPE

Chicken

1. Make sure chicken breast is fully thawed. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Mix chopped spinach, cream cheese and parmesan cheese in a microwave safe bowl. Heat until cream cheese is malleable, and add a sprinkle of salt, pepper, garlic powder and oregano.
3. Take thawed chicken breast and place in heavy duty Ziploc bag. Use a meat tenderizer or heavy object to pound chicken until ¼ inch thick.
4. Spray cooking spray into oven safe glass dish. Place pounded chicken in dish and then spoon in spinach and cheese mixture.
5. Fold chicken around mixture, and secure with toothpicks. Sprinkle seasonings on top and place in oven.
6. Cook for 20-25 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked.
7. In last three minutes of cooking, pour sauce over chicken.

Sauce

1. Melt butter, lemon and garlic in sauce pan
2. Add wine, mustard and salt.
3. Simmer for 2-4 minutes.

The post Dinner Recipe: Spinach Dip Stuffed Chicken appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

There, I’ve said it. I’m like Michael Phelps in the way that I incorporate pasta into my everyday diet, except the problem is I’m not an Olympic swimmer and my metabolism doesn’t really appreciate it (not that I really listen to my metabolism but I should probably start sometime, right?) Anyway, a while back someone told me about spaghetti squash as a substitute for pasta. At first, I giggled and ignored them because, let’s be real, there is no actual substitute for a bowl full of noodles. But then I tried it, and I have to say, for being a “healthy alternative,” it’s pretty good!

The thing about most squash, in general, is that they’re more about texture than flavor, with most of them just having a slight earthy taste about them but not much more. The cool part about spaghetti squash is that it actually looks like spaghetti! Not to mention they’re huge and totally inexpensive so they make for excellent meal prep.

Find yourself a pretty yellow spaghetti squash- the lighter the outside rind, the tougher your squash strands will be.

Stab it a bunch with a fork (like you would a potato) and pop that baby in the microwave for five minutes. This softens up the rind so you can cut into it.

It’s going to spew a little water out of your fork holes so use caution when removing it from the microwave. Find the largest knife you have and set to work slicing it in half, hot dog style. Now, I’m kind of short so I have a really hard time cutting these things in a pretty line. It doesn’t really matter anyway, as long as the sides are somewhat even.

Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, place face up in an oven safe dish and place in the oven for about 30 minutes. You’ll see the top get darker and some of the top strands even get a little burnt, so this is how you’ll know it’s done.

Carefully pull it out of the oven and with tongs and a fork, or two forks, begin to scoop out the seeds. You’ll notice it’s similar to scooping out a pumpkin except it’s less slimy, and instead of the hard interior like a pumpkin, it comes out like…spaghetti! (Cue scared face emoji)

After you’ve scooped out the seeds, take your two forks and start pulling the strands away from the sides of the squash rinds. It should shred very easily as if you were shredding a pot roast. If it doesn’t, and the inside still feels tough, pop it back in the oven for another 5-10 minutes.

Repeat the shredding process until you’ve emptied your squash halves of their insides. Now, you should have a giant mound of vegetable spaghetti! Obviously, there are endless possibilities for this stuff. You can treat it exactly like you would a bowl of pasta, and cover it with sauce, veggies, and cheese. It also has a similar quality to a potato, so you can top it like you would a hot baked potato, with cheese and bacon. The best part is that no matter what you top it with, it’s healthier than both of those options! Which basically means you can eat more of it, so go to town!

The post Recipe: Spaghetti Squash appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

My first experience with Takis was in college when a friend of mine introduced me to them one very late night after some libations (see how classy I am?) as well as this magical song. I hadn’t seen them again until recently when my roommate showed up with approximately four bags, and that’s when the addiction began again.

One day, after making my famous homemade pickles, she had this fantastic idea to make Taki-crusted fried pickles. Obviously, she already knows that my regular fried pickles are delicious, so this was just the next step in the process of frying everything I can find. Plus I have a thing for putting my favorite things in one dish.

The first step is to crush a bunch of Takis. Pour about two-thirds of a small bag into a sealable Ziploc bag and proceed to smash with all your might– it’s great fun if you’ve had a rough day. Make sure that you don’t leave any large pieces, as they won’t stick well to the pickle.

Pour out some flour into one bowl, a couple eggs into another bowl, and the crushed Takis in a third. Scramble up the eggs with some salt and pepper. 

I was using pickles I had already made so they were in spears, which is why I cut them in chunks. I think slices would have worked better, but the shape isn’t really that important.

Heat up three-quarters of an inch of vegetable or canola oil in a frying pan, but make sure it’s not too hot. The best way to tell if oil is hot enough is to splash just a couple drops of water into the pan and see if you can hear a sizzle. Don’t stand too close or you might burn yourself (speaking from experience) and if you hear very loud popping sounds without any water being in the pan, it is most definitely too hot. You’re better off keeping it on medium heat and just letting it take longer to heat up.

Take a piece of pickle (in whatever shape you choose), roll it in flour, then in egg (you’ll have to roll it around a couple times to get the egg to stick) and then in the Takis. Press the Taki powder into the eggs so they adhere more firmly. Then gently place in the pan of oil, starting in the center and working your way out.

Do this until you run out of pickles! Like anything else fried, you’ll know they’re done when the outside coating is firm and crunchy, so make sure to check the side of the pickle that is facing down in the pan. Takis are very red so it’s a little hard to tell if they’re done as they don’t really change color, but you might see them get a little brown. When they’re finished, gently take them out of the pan and place them on a paper towel-lined plate, or a brown paper grocery bag to soak up any remaining oil. I made my sriracha honey mustard to go with them (per the roommate’s request) which you can make using this recipe but they’re also good without sauce.

Great for a game watch party or just a fun movie snack.

INGREDIENTS | Makes about 12 pieces

• 3 pickle spears
• Small bag of Takis
• 1 cup flour
• 2 eggs
• Vegetable oil
• Salt
• Pepper

RECIPE

1. Pour flour into one small bowl.
2. Crush bag of Takis and pour into a second small bowl.
3. Crack and scramble eggs, and mix in a sprinkle of salt and pepper.
4. Heat ¾ inch of oil in a medium sized saute pan.
5. Cut or slice pickles into bite-sized pieces.
6. Roll pickles one at a time in flour, followed by egg mixture, and then in Takis until fully covered.
7. Place pickles gently in hot oil, turning until firm and crunchy on the outside.
8. Let cool on a paper towel-lined plate.

The post Snack Recipe: Takis-Crusted Fried Pickles appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

The drink menu here is extensive, and quite lovely. All of their cocktails sounded amazing but I just felt a beer was more suited for the meal, and went with a Black Hog Strawberry Gose. I’d never had a gose before but this was perfect! Light and crisp with a pleasant fruity flavor that totally complimented my dinner.  Now, on to the good stuff.

They have pickles, and yes, they’re really good but that’s just the tip of the iceberg with this place. I made a statement about fried chicken a while back, and I have to say the chicken at Jacob’s Pickles also ranks quite highly at the top of my list of best fried chicken in like, the entire world. Their menu is extensive and it’s hard to make choices, so go with a group and share stuff.

Our neighbors at the table got a flight of pickles and couldn’t finish it so we were gifted with their leftovers (I know it sounds weird but it wasn’t.) Personally, I love the pickled green beans the best, or dilly beans as they’re called on the menu. Crunchy, snappy and super tangy, they’re a great way to start off.

My favorite thing on the menu is called the BBQ Smothered Pepper Jack Chicken sandwich. Yeah, just read that name again and try to picture it- believe me when I say it’s better than you can ever imagine. It’s a massive piece of extremely crunchy, juicy, fried chicken, on top of their homemade biscuits that are to die for, and smothered with their housemade barbecue sauce and shredded pepper jack cheese. It’s so aptly named, let me tell you. The plate is absolutely enormous so it’s perfect to split.

The biscuits are part of their fame, and well worth it too. Buttery, soft, moist, I could eat just those for dinner and be totally satisfied.

Everything always looks good, but I recommend getting anything that comes with the cheddar grits. Goodness, they’re good. I’m not a southern girl so it’s not like I know that much about grits, but I can tell you these are absolutely incredible. Totally cheesy (so of course I like them) and perfectly smooth, I like to alternate a bite of the sandwich and then a bite of the grits, just for some balance throughout my meal.

For some reason we thought we could handle more food, so we also ordered a side of poutine- it’s a weakness of mine, I can’t turn it down. This wasn’t traditional poutine, as it wasn’t completely covered in gravy, but it was so delicious and really filling. The fries seemed to have soaked up the gravy so they were very flavorful and salty, but were still crispy. The best part was the obscene amount of cheese on top, forming them into a giant mass of happiness.

I cannot possibly recommend this place enough. The food is incredible, the price is totally reasonable, the atmosphere is pleasant and the music is rockin’. They do it right over there, so if you’re in New York, go now. I will say it gets pretty crowded and they don’t take reservations for small groups, so be prepared to wait a little bit, but know that the wait is 100% worth it.

The post Restaurant Review: Jacob’s Pickles appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

In N Out will always have a place in my heart as my favorite fast food ever. Everytime I return home to Phoenix, it’s the first meal I have on the way home from the airport. Not only is it the cheapest meal I’ll ever have, it is so insanely satisfying. As a midwest kid, I used to think Wendy’s ruled the world but boy, was I wrong.

Let me explain before all you Five Guys and SmashBurger connoisseurs have my head.

The In N Out burger is perfectly thin, with just the right amount of seasonings, and never overcooked. That’s probably my biggest grievance with Shake Shack is that the burger is literally always burnt, every time I eat there, and there is nothing I hate more than a burnt burger. The bun is a little buttery and gently toasted to keep everything warm.

Their special sauce, while probably not made with anything extraordinary, is definitely special. It’s ever so slightly sweet, with a touch of tang for some kick. I go pretty simple with my burger- just special sauce and grilled onions- and it’s divine every time. You can add all the other stuff, pickles, lettuce, cheese, but I think it just takes away from the magnificence of the burger.

Now for the fries. I despise soggy fries. I will never understand the point of an undercooked fry; it actually makes me sad thinking about it. In N Out does their fries right, every time. You can even see the guy slicing up all those potatoes right in front of you. They fry them to perfection, nice and crispy on the outside but still a little soft on the inside, and with just a dash of salt. No over salting, no burnt ends. I’ve done the animal style fries but they got soggy and it was just too much of everything.

Top all of this off with one of their perfect chocolate milkshakes, diner style. They’re so thick you can barely get it through the straw (but luckily, it’s hot in Arizona so it melted fast.)

You can try and tell me that In N Out is overrated, or that Shake Shack is better, but I will stand by my burger choice until the end of time. There is nothing like that big red and yellow sign to light up my heart with the prospect of a delicious meal.

The post Burger Review: In N Out appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

I learned this pickling recipe a couple years ago on a sustainable ranch in California (I know, I’m so cool) and since then, I’ve adjusted it here and there to be right for my tastes. I used to hate pickles. I thought they were smelly and weird, but then I went to this amazing deli in Columbus, Ohio (Katzingers, for any of you Ohioans out there) and their pickles changed my life. I’m a garlic girl myself, I guess you can credit my Jewish heritage for that one, but this recipe can be altered to throw in any kind of flavors and seasonings you want!

Get yourself a nice big jar- or just use the leftover one from your last jar of store pickles. Make sure it’s large enough to stand a mini cucumber on it’s end and wide enough to fit a bunch in. Mine is about 24 ounces.

For the cucumbers, make sure you get the mini ones, specifically the Kirbys. I don’t know why but they make the best pickles! Cut off the ends and slice into spears. You should get about 4 spears per pickle.

Like I said, I’m a garlic girl, so this recipe won’t have any dill in it. Peel about 5-7 cloves of garlic, depending on how many vampires you’re trying to avoid. Drop most of them in the bottom of the jar and put a couple to the side. Next, sprinkle in whole black peppercorns and some whole mustard seed. Make sure it’s not mustard seed powder- that will not go well.

There is no set amount of spices to include because it’s all to taste, so just make sure the outer ring of the jar is covered. Next come the grape leaves. They’re hard to find but they’re important because they keep the pickles from getting all soggy and sad. I find mine in this obnoxiously large jar at one of the odd, European grocery stores here in NYC but you should be able to find them in a regular supermarket as well. Stuff a couple at the bottom of the jar on top of your garlic and spices.

Now for the cucumbers. Line up your spears nicely in the jar, standing on the end. You’ll have to cram the last few in but fit as many in that jar as you can.

Then, heat enough water to fill your jar, and add in 3-5 tablespoons of table salt (I did 3 but my jar is a little on the smaller side.) Make sure your salt is completely dissolved.

Pour this over the pickles until there’s an inch of room at the top. Sprinkle on some more peppercorns and mustard seed, the last garlic cloves, and top with another grape leaf.

Fermentation happens faster in warmer temperatures so the longer the pickles are out, the quicker they will pickle. Mine stay out about 3 days but my apartment is basically an Easy Bake Oven right now. After a couple days, try one. If they’re the right texture for you, just put them in the fridge and they can hang out there for a few weeks. They’ll still ferment but much, much slower.

These would go pretty nicely with my philly cheesesteak recipe, if you want to make a meal out of it.

INGREDIENTS

• Large glass jar
• 4-5 mini Kirby cucumbers
• 7 peeled garlic cloves
• Whole black peppercorns
• Grape leaves
• Whole mustard seed
• Salt
• water

RECIPE

1. Cut off the ends of the cucumbers and slice into spears.
2. Peel garlic cloves and place most in the bottom of the large jar. Keep remaining cloves off to the side
3. Sprinkle in peppercorns and mustard seed to cover the outer ring of the jar.
4. Place a couple grape leaves on the bottom.
5. Line up cucumber spears inside the jar on their ends, until jar is completely full.
6. Heat water (number of ounces in the jar) and dissolve 3-5 tablespoons of salt.
7. Pour water over cucumbers until 1 inch is left at the top.
8. Sprinkle on more peppercorns and mustard seed, and toss in remaining garlic cloves.
9. Place one more grape leaf on top and seal.
10. Leave out for a couple days until preferred texture, then keep in the fridge.

The post Pickle, Baby, Pickle appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

Here’s the major key to a good baked ziti: don’t fully cook any part of it. The whole thing is going to bake together, so if all of your ingredients are already fully cooked, it’s just going to overcook in the oven.

There isn’t really an order to this, but I like to go: sauce, water, veggies, pasta. I’ll explain.

Sauce first. Smash up your nice, ripe tomatoes into a mixing bowl and make sure to squish out the chunks. I like to leave little pieces of tomato for texture, but that’s up to you. Be careful of the splatter tendency- I speak from experience. Once they’re all nice and smushy, pour them into a saucepan and sprinkle in salt, pepper, garlic powder and oregano. You want to leave this on super low so it just simmers nicely without reducing. Make sure you stir it every once in awhile.

This is a good time to boil your water. Use a really large pot so your water covers all the pasta. I went with rigatoni. Yeah yeah, I know, it’s supposed to be baked ziti, but I like rigatoni. Deal with it. Cover the pot so it boils faster.

I waited to preheat my oven until the last possible second because of the whole apartment sauna situation, but whenever you do it, preheat to 375 degrees.

Now the veggies. Finely chop half a green pepper (I prefer green because they stay crunchier, but you pick whatever color you want), a quarter of a yellow onion and two fresh garlic cloves. Dump this into a saute pan and add in three tablespoons of olive oil. You want it to be a little extra oily so the veggies stay moist. Let them sit in there until everything starts to sweat.

While they’re cooking, cut up your pepperoni. I feel the need to explain the turkey pepperoni in the above photo. Normally, I would never get packaged pepperoni, or turkey cured meats, however, it’s too hot and being a lazy New Yorker, I paid someone else to do my shopping through Instacart (#noshame), and that’s what he picked up. Surprisingly tasty, by the way, as it’s just a little spicy and a lot salty. I used the whole bag, chopping big stacks into quarters.

Your water should be boiling by now, or it probably was during the veggie cooking phase. Once boiling, pour the whole box of pasta in and turn the heat down a smidge so it doesn’t boil over, and stir consistently. You’re looking for a nice al dente, going back to that key of “don’t fully cook anything.”

Now is when you shred your cheese. No surprise, but I used the entire block of mozzarella. I guess you could use the pre-shredded stuff; I personally think it tastes just a little like sawdust, but you do you.

When the vegetable mixture is getting translucent, toss in the pepperoni and mix it around until the edges start to get dark. Once done, pour all of this into the sauce, mix it up and let it sit while your drain your pasta.

Pour everything back into the pasta pot and mix it up nice and evenly. By the handful, use three-quarters of your cheese in the main mixture, making sure it’s distributed throughout.

Dump the whole thing into an oven-safe container, top with the rest of the cheese and just a sprinkle of oregano. Bake for about 18 minutes or until melty and golden.

Be careful! This stuff is quite warm when it comes out. Pair with a salad and some chilled white wine for a tasty meal, sure to please everyone.

INGREDIENTS | Makes 6 large servings

• Box of pasta- ziti, rigatoni (something tubular)
• Block of whole milk mozzarella
• 5 or 6 ripe vine tomatoes
• ½ green bell pepper, chopped finely
• ¼ yellow onion, chopped finely
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 ½ tsp Garlic powder
• 1 tsp Oregano
• 3 tbsp Olive oil
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Pepper

RECIPE

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Smash tomatoes and combine in pot with garlic powder, salt, pepper. Simmer on low.
3. Boil large pot of water for one box of pasta.
4. Finely chop green pepper, onion and garlic. Combine with olive oil to saute until translucent.
5. Cut pepperoni into quarters and mix into vegetable pan until dark around the edges.
6. Once water is boiling, pour in box of pasta and cook until al dente. Drain and pour back into pot.
7. Shred entire block of cheese.
8. Mix vegetable and pepperoni mixture into sauce and pour into drained pasta. Stir together, combining in ¾ of shredded cheese.
9. Pour into oven safe container and top with remaining cheese and a sprinkle of oregano.
10. Bake for 18 minutes or until cheese is melted and golden.

The post Dinner Recipe: Baked Ziti appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

Three words: Buffalo Chicken Pizza. My roommate happens to be a master with a pizza stone, and our skillz together created a beautiful masterpiece. Living in New York is pretty great if you like to eat, and one of my favorite things is that I can walk to any pizza place and buy a big ol’ blob of delicious dough from them for just a couple bucks. Roomie was excited by the dinner idea, and our plan set into motion.

Preheat your oven to 425 (for a stone) or 400 (for a baking sheet.)

Make sure your chicken is really defrosted (we used one giant breast), and trim off any gross fat parts. Then dice it into really small pieces. Toss this in a pan with a little vegetable oil, salt and pepper, and turn it on medium-low heat. The thing to remember about chicken is it dries out really fast, so the higher the heat, the faster the moisture leaves. When it’s about halfway cooked, throw in some buffalo sauce (I swear by Frank’s Hot Sauce.) I used about ¾ of a cup for one huge chicken breast, and I sprinkled in some garlic powder. Turn it to low and let everything simmer until the chicken is fully cooked but not brown.

While the chicken is cooking, roll out your crust, but make sure you sprinkle a little flour on your surface first so it doesn’t get stuck. You don’t want the crust to be thinner than  ¼ inch, otherwise it will burn and probably end up soggy. You can brush it with a little bit of olive oil for flavor, especially the outside rim of the crust.

The key is the cheese (yep, I went there again) as in, use a block of mozzarella, not the lame bagged stuff. The shredded cheese that comes in a bag is full of preservatives and doesn’t melt as nicely.

However, make sure it’s not true buffalo mozzarella as that doesn’t melt the same way either. Look for the nice square block, then shred it into pretty strands. We used about half the block for the whole pizza.

Sprinkle on about three-quarters of it, and then pour on the chicken mixture. There should be a good amount of sauce in the pan, which will add flavor, but make sure everything is evenly distributed across the pizza. I added a little extra buffalo sauce on top before using the rest of the cheese. Sprinkle a little oregano for good measure and in the oven it goes!

Start with about 12-15 minutes but keep a good eye on it. You’ll be looking for bubbling in the cheese and a lovely brown color on your crust. Make sure to let it sit before cutting into it or the cheese will come sliding off and you’ll burn the bejeezus out of your mouth. It’s hard to wait but it sure is worth it!  

INGREDIENTS | Makes one medium sized pizza (8 small slices)

• One ball of dough
• 1 ½ – 2 cups of diced chicken
• 1 cup of buffalo sauce
• 2 cups of mozzarella cheese
• Salt
• Pepper
• Garlic Powder
• Oregano

RECIPE

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees if you are using a pizza stone, 400 if you are using a baking sheet. If you are using a baking sheet, rub with butter or brush with olive oil.
2. Chop chicken into small chunks and cook on medium low with a tbsp of vegetable oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. When halfway done, pour in ¾ cup of buffalo sauce and turn down to low temp.
4. Sprinkle flour on your surface and then stretch and roll out dough until ¼ inch thick.
5. Place on stone or greased sheet and top with 1 ½ cup of shredded mozzarella cheese.
6. Pour chicken/sauce mixture evenly over pizza and top with remaining shredded cheese and some oregano.
7. Cook for 12-15 minutes, checking often, until brown and golden.

The post Recipe: Buffalo Chicken Pizza appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

I don’t always look forward to eating barbecue here because it’s generally pretty standard- the same cuts of beef, with unoriginal sauces, and moderately adequate sides. However, that is so unbelievably not the case at Urban Smoke.  Executive Chef Dave Schaap is a genius with the smoker, creating amazing flavors throughout every piece of meat that take barbecue to a whole new level.

After deliberating over the menu, I went with the Rosie Cheeks sandwich, an incredible combination of pulled beef cheek, Urban Smoke’s house barbecue sauce, pickles and crispy shallots. The combination of the delicately fatty meat with the tangy sauce, salty pickles and crunchy shallots was absolutely unbelievable, so much so that I think I blacked out after the first bite.

I didn’t stop there, as their menu of sides is just as impressive as their sandwiches. Surprisingly (not), my first choice was the Pimento Mac and Cheese. The mac and cheese is made with cavatelli pasta which is generously mixed with this incredible cheeses sauce that possesses an extra special bite at the end that can only be attributed to the pimento. Every piece of pasta had the right amount of cheese, and the little cracker crumbs on top added a great crunchy element. 

My other choice was the Elote Corn Pudding. Normally I stay away from corn breads and corn puddings because I’m not the biggest fan of sweet and salty, and most are too sweet for me. Schaap and company at Urban Smoke have created this amazing concoction of corn, lime and cheese that changes my perception of anything called corn pudding. The texture is moist and bouncy, and the corn kernels mixed throughout add some fun texture. Then there’s the lime avocado cream on top that I would put on literally anything, in addition to the cotija cheese and cilantro that make this dish perfect in every way. I was so excited that I ordered two sides, but I don’t recommend it unless you’re sharing because they’re healthy portions. 

My friend was with me and she ordered a half pound of meatloaf with a side of the Hoppin’ Joe. I generally have an aversion to meatloaf, as I imagine most people who grew up in suburbia do, but once again, my previous conceptions of  it were completely shattered. The seasonings are unique and not standard to meatloaf, not to mention it’s also smoked which makes it super tasty. The Hoppin’ Joe is what really blew me away, mostly because my expectations were fairly low going in- it’s just rice, beans and red-eye gravy. You’d think I would have had high expectations considering everything else I’d already tasted was out of this world, but it was fun to be surprised. Red-eye gravy is some delicious mixture of animal fat, cream and coffee, and boy, was it good.

Most things in Brooklyn that claim to be gourmet try too hard to be different and end up with items so confusing that the diner doesn’t know what it was to start with. The beauty of Urban Smoke BBQ is that it’s simple and straightforward, from the decor to the menu. Each cut of meat is of high quality, the sauces are fresh and unique, and you can tell that there is a whole lot of love and creativity put into each dish. Without a doubt, this restaurant is changing the name of barbecue in the city, so I suggest you go soon before lines are out the door because it’s about to be the talk of the town.

The post Restaurant Review: Urban Smoke BBQ appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

The first time I dined at Turntable Chicken Jazz (yes, that’s actually the name of the restaurant), I was on a date. It was 11 pm, it was our second date, and he had already figured out that I was the kind of girl who wasn’t afraid to eat fried chicken in front of a guy. The environment was fun, the food was outstanding and the music was totally on point.

The second time around, I was on a date again but this time with a girl friend, during the day, and neither of us has any issue eating unladylike in front of each other. Let me just say that both experiences were magical.

I have one word for you. Dumplings. Don’t worry about anything else at first, just go with the dumplings, get them fried and get them fast. The glazes are delicious- I’m a particular fan of the soy garlic ones but the spicy are pretty tasty too. If you’re not into spicy things, just stick with the soy garlic. You can also do the half and half- an excellent choice if you’re sharing with someone- but either way, you won’t be sorry.

Now that you’ve achieved the first step of Turntable Chicken Jazz glory, let’s move on to the chicken. I always thought I had the best fried chicken in the world- made by a southern woman- but I was sorely mistaken. I don’t know what the magic secret is, but holy moly, Korean Fried Chicken wins everything. It’s kind of hard to make coherent sentences that accurately depict the absolute magnificence of this place so I’m just going to list some words and hope that you get the idea: crispy, crunchy, salty, tangy, juicy, perfect. Did it work?

For some reason, the bone-in seems to have a crunchier crust, maybe it’s because it’s thicker breading. Again, the spicy is pretty dang spicy, so proceed at your own risk. There’s something incredibly satisfying about the sound the perfectly distributed, epically crispy breading makes when you take a bite. Be careful- the crust is so smoothly coated on the drumsticks that it really keeps in all the heat.

The boneless is also an amazing option. It’s superbly cooked, still maintaining moisture and juiciness. We asked for extra sauce, and it was the best choice. The soy garlic glaze is probably a really simple recipe but goodness, it’s amazing. We split a medium portion of boneless, and that combined with the dumplings was a perfect amount of food for the both of us. Don’t be alarmed at the lack of fancy presentation, the food more than makes up for it. 

The truly best part about eating at Turntable Chicken Jazz is the music. Some days there’s a throwback playlist happening, the kind that makes you want to get up and dance, some days it’s just quality classics. Either way, you can never lose. It’s simple and easy but yet truly amazing in flavors and quality. Not every girl is a food-obsessed crazy woman like me, so evaluate before bringing a date here. 

The post Restaurant Review: Turntable Chicken Jazz appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.