I Got Friends in Desert Places

While Coachella may be the festival for the Millennials, all true country music fans know that Stagecoach is the true event of the season.  Located in the same Indio Desert as its Pop/Hip Hop sister, and taking place the weekend after, this All-American tradition highlights the best established, as well as the brightest up-and-coming in country, blue grass, roots rock, and alternative country.   In past years, headliners have included greats like Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw, legends like the Eagles and Willie Nelson, cross-genre icons like Taylor Swift and Carrie Underwood, and wildly popular bands like Little Big Town and Zac Brown Band. 

So in honor of this patriotic music extravaganza, we wanted to pay homage to the most American cooking there is, the BBQ.  This posting will be all about foods you can prepare on the grill!

See you at the dinner table,

CBC Team

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Blue Cheese Stuffed BBQ Burger

INGREDIENTS

• Ground Beef | Garlic | Onion Powder | Egg | Breadcrumbs | Worcestershire Sauce | BBQ Sauce | Rosemary
• Creamy Blue Cheese | Cream Cheese
• Sweet Onion | Bacon | Butter | Balsamic Vinegar | Brown Sugar | Salt | Thyme | Chives | Shallots
• Brioche Bun | BBQ Sauce
• Toppings (Optional) | Tomatoes | Lettuce | Avocado | Ketchup| Mustard | Pickles

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine Beef, Garlic, Onion Powder, Egg, Breadcrumbs, Worcestershire Sauce,BBQ Sauce and Rosemary
2. Combine Blue Cheese and Cream Cheese
3. Form thinner paddy with beef, spoon in Cheese mixture and top with another patty.  Seal and put on the grill
4. Chop bacon and cook over medium heat until crisp.  Remove but leave the drippings
5. Add butter to drippings and melt
6. Add onions and sautee until tender
7. Add shallots, Vinegar, Sugar, and Salt
8. Remove from heat and add in Bacon, Chives and Thyme
9. Spread BBQ Sauce on Brioche Bun and stack stuffed patty, Bacon & Onion marmalade, and add on any other toppings you would like 

Sweet & Spicy Baby Back Ribs

INGREDIENTS

• Baby Back Ribs
• Light Brown Sugar | Smoked Paprika | Cayenne Pepper | Garlic Powder | Kosher Salt
• Unsalted Butter | Apple Cider Vinegar
• Vegetable Oil

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degree F
2. Combine Brown Sugar, Paprika, Cayenne, Garlic Powder, Kosher Salt
3. Pat down Rack of Ribs and rub in spice mixture
4. Wrap ribs in foil and bake until meat is fork tender (2-3 hours)
5. Remove from oven, let cool, and drain juices from corner
6. Reheat juices
7. Add in spice mixture and reduce by 1/3
8. Add in Vinegar, Salt and Maple Syrup
9. Oil Grill
10. Put Ribs on Grill and baste with sauce
11. Grill until char marks form
12. Remove from Grill and let rest
13. Slice and Serve

Chipotle Lime Chicken Thighs

INGREDIENTS

• Chicken Thighs, Skin On
• Fresh Lime Juice | Lime Zest | Olive Oil | Cilantro | Jalapeno | Chipotle Chili Powder | Garlic | Honey | Kosher Salt

DIRECTIONS

1. Debone Chicken Thighs
2. Combine Lime Juice, Lime Zest, Olive Oil, Cilantro, Jalapeno, Chipotle Chili Powder, Garlic, Honey, & Salt
3. Marinate Chicken for 2 hours
4. Place Chicken on Grill and baste
5. Sprinkle with Garlic, Cilantro and Jalapeno
6. Grill until golden brown and charred in some places
7. Garnish with cilantro and serve

Grilled Corn & Poblano Chile Salad

INGREDIENTS

• Vegetable Oil
• Lime Juice | Hot Sauce
• Corn on the Cob | Poblano Chile
• Unsalted Butter | Salt | Feta Cheese | Cayenne Pepper | Scallions | Cilantro

DIRECTIONS

1. Grease Grill with Vegetable Oil
2. Put Corn still in the husk and the Poblano Chiles on grill until corn is charred all over and chiles are blackened in spots
3. Remove from grill and let cool
4. Remove husks and cover corn with Butter
5. Cut kernels off cob and put in bowl with Lime Juice and Hot Sauce
6. Remove seeds from chiles and chop
7. Combine kernels, Chiles, Feta, Salt, Cayenne Pepper, & Scallions
8. Garnish with Cilantro

I Could Really Use Some Sort Of Herbal Refreshment!

Well it’s April 20th in two days and that means 711s everywhere are being raided for chips, frozen pizzas and hotdogs across the country.  If you don’t understand why, we can fill you in.  “420” is a universal name for smoking marijuana.  While there are theories that it refers to police codes or Marijuana laws, the phrase actually originated because students in San Rafael High School in the 70s would meet at 4:20pm to smoke weed. Obviously this code spread quickly and the term was adopted by most.  So on April 20th, or 4/20, hemp enthusiasts ban together to celebrate the herbal remedy.

Now before the outrage that we are even braving this topic, remember that California legalized recreational marijuana use effective January 1, 2018.  Because this day is going to be the first 4/20 since the law was implemented, we are guessing most people are going to step up their game.  Here is a full day menu that celebrates everything marijuana. 

See you at the dinner table,

CBC Team

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Basics

Cannabutter

INGREDIENTS

• Water | Butter | Ground Cannabis

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 215 degrees F
2. Bake Cannabis for 30-40 minutes
3. Combine Butter and Water, simmering
4. Add in Cannabis and simmer on low for 3 hours, stirring occasionally so as not to boil
5. Remove and let cool
6. Using cheesecloth, strain Butter mixture, removing all the plant particles
7. Remove cheesecloth, cover and refrigerate
8. Remove any excess water

Breakfast

Challah French Toast

INGREDIENTS

• Challah | Regular Butter
• Vanilla Extract | Eggs | Milk | Cinnamon | Nutmeg
• Cannabutter
• Powdered Sugar | Maple Syrup

DIRECTIONS

1. Thick slice your Challah
2. Combine Vanilla Extract | Eggs | Milk | Cinnamon | Nutmeg
3. Soak your Challah in mixture
4. Heat up Regular Butter, add Challah to pan, and cook until golden brown
5. Remove French Toast and spread Cannabutter
6. Plate and dust with Powdered Sugar
7. Serve with Maple Syrup and enjoy

Lunch

Cheeseburger

INGREDIENTS

• Cannabis
• Ground Beef | Garlic Powder | Worcestershire Sauce | Salt | Pepper
• Dijon Mustard | Egg Yolk | Lemon Juice | Olive Oil | Whole Mustard Grain | Horseradish
• Baby Bella Mushrooms | Butter
• Fontina Cheese | Arugula
• Bun

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine Ground Beef, Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder, Worcestershire Sauce, Salt, Pepper, and Olive Oil
2. Sprinkle in finely ground Cannabis , mix and let sit
3. Sautee Mushrooms with Olive Oil and Butter and set aside
4. Whisk together Dijon Mustard, Egg Yolk and Lemon Juice
5. Slowly drizzle in Olive Oil into Dijon mixture, whisking in the entire time
6. Whisk in Whole Grain Mustard and Horseradish and set aside
7. Toss Arugula with Lemon Juice, Salt, & Pepper
8. Form patties from Ground Beef and cook over skillet until medium rare
9. Top with Fontina Cheese for the last 1-2 minutes
10. Spread Aioli on Bun, add Burger, then Mushrooms, then a little more Aioli
11. Finish with Arugula 

Dinner

Mac 'N Cheese

INGREDIENTS

• Fusilli
• Regular Butter | Cannabutter | Flour | Milk | Half and Half | Salt | Pepper
• Mozzarella | Monterey Jack | Cheddar
• Panko Bread Crumbs | Parmesan

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
2. Boil Fusilli until al dente
3. Melt Regular Butter and Cannabutter, adding in Flour, Milk, Half and Half, Salt, & Pepper, creating a Roux ‘
4. Stir in Mozzarella, Monterey Jack, & Cheddar cheeses
5. Add Fusilli to Cheese mixture
6. Put Mac N’ Cheese into baking pan
7. Coat Panko Bread Crumbs in Cannibutter
8. Sprinkle Panko Bread Crumbs and Parmesan on top of Mac N’ Cheese
9. Bake until topping is golden brown

Dessert

Brownies

INGREDIENTS

• Cocoa Powder | Cake Flour | Sugar | Salt | Baking Powder | Baking Soda
• Eggs | Vanilla Bean
• Cannabutter
• Bittersweet or Semisweet Chocolate | Vegetable Shortening

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2. Combine all dry ingredients
3. Combine Eggs and Vanilla Bean
4. Melt chocolate in double broiler and add in Vegetable Shortening
5. Slowly drizzle in Chocolate mixture into Eggs and Vanilla
6. Fold in Cannabutter into Chocolate mixture
7. Fold in wet batter into dry ingredients and stuff until mixed
8. Bake in parchment lined baking pan for 30 minutes, rotating pan once
9. Remove and let cool
10. Cut and serve

#Coachella

For most, one word sums up the April concert circuit: COACHELLA.  For the modern millennial, it’s the Woodstock festival we all wish we could have attended.  Past headliners range throughout every genre of music, including Prince, Kanye West, Nine Inch Nails, Calvin Harris and Paul McCartney; this year’s lineup, which begins in one week, features The Weekend, Eminem, and Queen B herself, Beyonce. 

And while it’s all about the music, everyone can tell you that the Coachella brand is almost as strong.  Make your way to middle of the desert for either weekend, and feathers, flowers, flowing dresses will be just the beginning of the whimsical fashion you will find.  Before the main concerts start, you’ll find cocktails by the pool, music blasting and the laid-back party vibe in almost hotel and Air BnB you pass.

So grab your oversized sunglasses, jean shorts or draping dress, iPhone filters, and enjoy some of these fantastic recipes to celebrate everything Coachella.

See you at the dinner table,

CBC Team

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The Weekend

Dizzy Desert Lemonade

This desert inspired cocktail with agave will keep you cool in the dry desert heat, but the kick is the floral garnish.  While it may seem like just a little bit of bright color for your Instagram story, this edible flower packs a bit of punch: eating it will make your mouth numb with a tingling sensation.  As you kick back and enjoy this refreshing libation, you won’t be able to feel your face, or at least your mouth.

INGREDIENTS

• Ice | Vodka | Agave Syrup | Fresh Lemon Juice | Lemon Slice & Szechuan Button Flower for Garnish

Beyonce

Honey Sriracha Chicken

There is nothing like hanging by the pool and starting up the grill.  With a kick of Sasha Fierce spice, and a sweetness that the Beyhive will approve of, this chicken will be a hit with the single ladies, divas, grown women, and baby boys.  And if the heat is just too much, just grab a Dizzy Desert Lemonade and you’ll be ready to go All Night! 

INGREDIENTS:

• Chicken Breasts or Chicken Wings
• Baking Powder | Smoked Paprika | Salt | Pepper
• Sriracha | Honey | Rice Vinegar | Sesame Oil
• Sesame Seeds | Cilantro

DIRECTIONS

1. In a bowl, sift together Baking Powder, Smoked Paprika, Salt, & Pepper
2. Coat your chicken in the dry ingredient mixture
3. Place chicken on grill, turning every 10-15 minutes
4. Combine Honey, Sriracha, Rice Vinegar, & Sesame Oil
5. Baste with sauce every 10 minutes until chicken is cooked through and remove from grill
6. Brush with final coat of sauce
7. Garnish with sesame seeds and cilantro

Eminem

The Real Slim Jim Jerky

May we have your attention please?  If you’re enjoying the Coachella camping, it’s important to have snacks that you can quickly grab and eat and you stand inline for the bus.  This smoked jerky is perfect to make ahead of time and bring along to the festivities.  Note, there will be no actual Slim Jims in this recipe, but we were trying to come up with something that didn’t have anything to do with M&Ms.

INGREDIENTS

• Flank Steak
• Worcestershire Sauce | Honey | Garlic Powder | Soy Sauce | Onion Powder | Paprika | Cayenne Pepper | Liquid Smoke | Red Pepper Flakes

DIRECTIONS

1. Cut flank steak into thin strips (about ½ inch) and then pound out a little
2. Combine all other ingredients to make marinade
3. In a bowl combine flank steak strips and marinade, cover, and let it refrigerate overnight
4. Put strips onto aluminum lined baking sheet, single layered
5. Set your oven to a low temperature (150-175F) and cook from anywhere between 4-6 hours, flipping once.
6. The jerky is finished when it is completely dried out

Here Comes Peter Cottontail

I remember Easter with such fond memories.  Every year I would wake up with a basket by my bed and the entire house would be riddled with hidden treasures.  Chocolate, marshmallows, and Jelly Beans adorned spaces between bricks, books and other normal household décor.  But everyone knows, the real treat was finding a coveted Easter Egg.  Whether they were plastic and filled with more treats, cream filled with a sweet chocolate shell, or hardboiled and hand-painted by my siblings and I, when the Easter hunt was over, these beauties always garnered the most points.

The egg is a symbol of birth and life.  For people of the Jewish faith, for which Passover occurs simultaneously with Easter, it represents promise, while for Christians it embodies resurrection and immortality. 

On this Easter, we would like to pay tribute to the egg with some decadent recipes you’re sure to love.  Don’t let the names scare you, these appetizers are sure to make your Easter meal a complete success. 

See you at the dinner table,

CBC Team

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Pickled DeviledEggs

INGREDIENTS

• Hardboiled Eggs | Mayonnaise | Sour Cream | Dijon Mustard | Lemon Juice | Salt | Pepper
• Jar of Beets | Water | Distilled White Vinegar
• Fresh Herbs

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine Beet Juice, Water, & Vinegar to make marinade
2. Peel Hardboiled Eggs and Soak in Beet Marinade for over an hour
3. Cut Hardboiled Eggs lengthwise and remove yolks
4. Combine mashed Yolks, Mayonnaise, Sour Cream, Dijon Mustard, Lemon Juice, Salt, Pepper, and Chives
5. Pipe in Yolk mixture to Egg Whites
6. Garnish with Fresh Herbs

Caesar Salad Deviled Eggs

INGREDIENTS

• Hardboiled Eggs | Anchovy Paste | Garlic | Mayonnaise | Parmigiano | Worcestershire Sauce | Lemon Juice | Pepper
• Romaine Lettuce | Crouton

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2. Spread out Parmigiano on wax paper and bake until golden brown
3. Remove from oven and cool
4. Cut Hardboiled Eggs lengthwise and remove yolks
5. Combine mashed Yolks, Mayonnaise, Anchovy Paste, Garlic, Parmigiano, Worcestershire Sauce, Lemon Juice, and Pepper until smooth and creamy
6. Pipe in Yolk Mixture to Egg Whites
7. Garnish with finely chopped lettuce, Crouton and Parmesan tuile 

Kimchi Deviled Eggs

INGREDIENTS

• Hardboiled Eggs | Mayonnaise | Dijon Mustard | White Vinegar | Gochujang
• Sesame Oil | Kimchi | Chives | Bacon

DIRECTIONS

1. Cut Hardboiled Eggs lengthwise and remove yolks
2. Combine mashed Yolks, Mayonnaise, Sour Cream, Dijon Mustard, & Vinegar until smooth paste
3. Add in Gochujang and mix
4. Rough chop Kimchi and sautee in sesame oil with thing sliced bacon
5. Pipe in Yolk mixture to Egg Whites
6. Garnish with Kimchi and bacon mixture and fresh chives 

Rain Rain Go Away

Usually, maybe not here in Los Angeles, Spring means lots of rain.  Days will do by where you don’t see the Sun, and while it brings a lush green landscape full of greenery and life, it’s a pain to be cooped up in the house all day.  For those of you still stuck at home because of the cold rain, or even snow if you’re in the North, there’s nothing better than getting someone hearty and warm in your stomach to make a boring day a “snuggle up on the couch in PJs and watch movies all day” day.

Instead of opening up your food or Dominos app, here’s something that’s will guarantee to satisfy: Hungarian-American Beef Goulash.

What is Goulash?  At its core, a goulash is a stew.  Now the variety is all depending what kind you are looking for.  An American Goulash is a mix of pasta, ground beef, tomato sauce, and pepper, or what I called it growing up in New England, American Chop Suey.  Now a traditional Hungarian Goulash is a made up of smaller cubes of beer or pork in a paprika broth based stew. 

Our recipe today is what we grew up with, the Hungarian-American Goulash.  Large chunks of Beef with Carrots, Potatoes, Onions and Peppers simmer in a rich Paprika broth, and served over your choice of starch; in my family it was always served over egg noodles.

See you at the dinner table,

CBC Team

INGREDIENTS

• Chuck Steak | Salt | Pepper | Ghee | Flour
• Carrots | Onions | Bell Peppers | Garlic  | Potatoes | Vegetable Oil
• Sweet Hungarian Paprika | Smoked Paprika | Chicken Stock | Gelatin | Soy Sauce | Fish Sauce | Bay Leaf | Thyme | Tomato Paste | Caraway Seed | Majoram
• Parsley | Egg Noodles

DIRECTIONS

1. Mix Gelatin and Chicken Stock
2. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F
3. Sautee diced Carrots and remove for later
4. Season Chuck with Salt & Pepper and cook until both sides are browned – Remove
5. Cook other Carrots, Onions, Peppers and Garlic until soft and slightly browned
6. Add Paprika (both kinds) and stir
7. Add Gelatin/Chicken Stock mixture
8. Add Soy Sauce, Fish Sauce, Tomato Paste, Bay Leaf, Thyme, Marjarom, & Caraway Seed
9. Cube Chuck (larger cubes), toss in Flour, and add to vegetable mixture
10. Transfer to oven until Beef is tender (partially covered)
11. Remove Carrots, Thyme, & Bay Leaf
12. Add Potatoes and Sauteed Carrots
13. Return to oven and cook partially covered until stew is thicker
14. Remove from oven, garnish with Parsley and serve over Egg Noodles