Behind the Bites

Feast Your Eyes


  • Charcoal Grilled Chicken Legs

    Printable version It took about a month into living in my first apartment in New York City to realize I had lucked into one of the greatest luxuries a New Yorker could have – A backyard and covered patio. The first thing I purchased for it was a charcoal grill which I used year round….

  • Skirt Steak Tortas

    I bought a “manager’s special” skirt steak at Kroger recently for less than $3.00 and was exited about the great deal, but knew it was on special because it had to be cooked in the next 24 hours. “Manager’s special” is the grocery store lingo for “cook this now because it’s about to turn green.”…

  • Panko Breaded Cod Fillet

    Printable version When it comes to saltwater fish there is one that stands alone as my favorite – Cod. I love its thick fillets coated in a crispy breading or batter. It’s mild in flavor and not “fishy” tasting, which is why I like it. The Vikings would catch cod, dry it out and preserve…

  • Mini Bacon Tomato Toasts

    Printable version I think my favorite things to make in the kitchen are bite-sized savory snacks. It’s easier to experiment with tiny treats because it’s just one bite, and you’re not committed to filling your belly with it. This allows room to work with a new ingredient or add a little more heat than usual….

  • Jacked Up Tater Tot Casserole

    Printable version Tater tot casserole is a classic and I have been eating it at family gathering and pot lucks since childhood. There are many variations of the dish, but the majority involve ground beef, canned cream soup and are topped with tater tots. I decided that it was time to make my own version…

  • Burger Boom Boom Sauce

    Printable version This sauce is an obvious twist on traditional thousand island dressing, only I have replaced the ketchup with chili sauce and the pickle relish with pickled jalapenos. I first tasted a sauce like this at Williams-sonoma with their “Burger Bomb sauce” which was good, but I knew it was something that I could…

  • Meat Lovers Meatball Subs

    Printable version So, what happens when I notice that ground beef, bacon and Italian sausage are on sale at my local super market? Meatballs subs for dinner! And you know what? They were magically delicious. The bacon and sausage were the star flavors and the ground beef was there more for volume. I made these…

  • Chicken Tortilla Soup

    Printable version I walked into Walmart recently and was assaulted by the aroma of juicy and succulent rotisserie chicken! I felt as though I had been sucker punched by the ghost of Colonel Sanders and an instant craving for chicken arouse from my belly. All the local super markets seem to strategically roast a flock…

  • Roasted Chicken Leg Quarters

    Printable version I was shopping for groceries recently and I stumbled across chicken leg quarters for 98¢ a pound. I picked up a package and went about my business. As I continued to shop, I realized that any other time I had bought leg quarters it was to grill, usually over a summer holiday weekend….

  • Mini Jalapeño Corn Muffins

    Printable version I made a miscalculation while making a recipe last week that left me with an open box of Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix sitting on the counter. Rather than bag it up and put it away, I challenged myself do something with it. I started looking around the kitchen and discovered a few fresh…