Countdown to Good Taste! Best 2022 Recipes

Countdown to Good Taste! Best 2022 Recipes

by | Dec 29, 2022 | Appetizer, Board, Books, Canvas & Cuisine, Dessert, Dinner, Freezer, Parties, Pork, Poultry, Recipes, Remix, Salad, Side Dish, Sunday Best Dishes

Can you believe 2023 is almost here?!

Check out my top recipes of 2022 and discover why these dishes were all the rage in home kitchens across the country (and for good reason!).

These recipes are delicious, easy to make, and perfect for any occasion.

If you’re looking for some new recipe ideas to add to your repertoire, or just curious about what all the fuss was about, check out my best recipes from 2022.

Happy cooking and Happy New Year!

Cooking With Mushrooms and Spinach

Spinach Au Gratin With Sauteed Mushrooms

I LOVE cooking mushrooms. This humble fungi inspire my dishes with their complex flavors and many uses.

Spinach Au Gratin With Sauteed Mushrooms is one of my favorite recipes that is easy to make and will make you feel like a celebrity chef!

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Southern Style Charcuterie with This Cocktail Pairing…

Southern Style Charcuterie

My Southern-Style Charcuterie board is really something to behold, and your guests won’t believe the spread when you set out this showstopper.

My board is PACKED with deviled eggs, spiced crackers, pimento spread, pickled okra, millionaire’s bacon, cilantro shrimp, and an assortment of turkey and ham roll-ups!

Wash it down with my prickly pear cocktail, inspired by strolls at the Farmer’s Market.

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I Did It My Way! Veal Sinatra Inspired By Locanda Rustica

Veal Sinatra Recipe Inspired By Locanda Rustica

A cast-iron skillet. Thick slices of eggplant. A ladleful of marinara sauce and a double-topping of cheese. 

Take advantage of your favorite variety of eggplant using this simple frying technique to create a super Italian-inspired dish and make eggplant parm magic tonight!

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how to make easy grilled veggies for memorial day

Schnitzel Parmesan & Schnitzel Milanese

Make pork two ways with this freezer-friendly meal, perfect for remixing your dinner ingredients without getting bored!

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how to make easy grilled veggies for memorial day

Spring Dinner Party Menu Featuring Fresh Dinner Salads

Steal my very best springtime entertaining ideas that will guarantee you have just as much fun as your guests with these main course salad ideas!

  • Grilled Flank Steak With Roasted Onions, Sliced Tomatoes, Blue Cheese and Poblano Pepper Vinaigrette
  • Poached Chicken In Tuna Sauce
  • Roasted Salmon In the Grass With Cucumber Mint Sauce
  • Farmer’s Market Orzo Salad 
  • Sunshine Cake from Sunday Best Dishes
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how to make easy grilled veggies for memorial day

The Only Fruit Chutney Recipe You’ll Ever Need 

If you’re looking for the easiest chutney recipe, look no further.

This is the best peach chutney recipe that can be used with a variety of fruits and is great on crackers, sandwiches, or even cheese plates.

Learn how to make fancy chutney with the only chutney recipe you’ll ever need from Jorj’s kitchen!

 

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how to make easy grilled veggies for memorial day

Party Dip Recipe Ideas

I have made my fair share of chips and dips over the years, every which way and for just about every occasion.

From appetizers to party take-along to afternoon snacks, the versatile chips and dip dish strikes a satisfying balance of keeping us just the right amount of being full before a big meal (or in-between them)!

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Thursday Night Football Party Snacks Are HERE!

Thursday Night Football Party Snacks Are HERE!

by | Sep 8, 2022 | Appetizer, Beans and Legumes, Beef, Board, Party, Recipes, Snack, Sport, Sunday Best Dishes

Are You Ready for Some Football??

This is the time of year that ALL football fans are most confident. This is THE year….the year we’ll make the playoffs…the year to GO ALL THE WAY…this is it.

We’ve signed the best new quarterback, drafted the top receiver, firmed up the defense, and how about the new coach!

It’s all there. This is it…the year!

Let’s celebrate the kickoff of the new season with some well-established football fav snack foods. Because, after all…the season is probably not going to go the way we want. And when all else fails….the food still TRIUMPHS!

Take a look at these tried and true winners!

Hot Garlicky Wings Recipe for Football Season

Hot Garlicky Wings

If you are craving a game-day wing experience, make a great dish with my Sunday Best recipe for Hot Garlicky wings. Whether your team is winning, or on the verge of winning!

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Couch Potato Fan Food for the Super Bowl

REALLY GOOD TURKEY BURGER SLIDERS WITH CRISPY SHALLOTS AND PIMENTO CHEESE

They’re bite size and couch perfect. Use sharp cheddar and do NOT forget the pickles. Oh, and good news, the recipe makes enough pimento cheese to entertain your game-watching pals twice in one week!

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Draft Day… Baby! NFL Party Ideas + Best Loaded Nachos Ever!

Sausage and Refried Bean Nachos

The dish that tames the angry fantasy football beast and totally scored in overtime is my sausage and refried bean nachos. I mean, these are truly a punched-up bit of nacho cheesiness. I serve these on every game day, regardless of the success of my quarterback.

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how to make easy grilled veggies for memorial day

Potato Fries with Crispy Buffalo Chicken, topped with Blue Cheese Gravy

I’m just in in time for football pre-season tailgating! You may have heard of a dish called “poutine”. It involves fries, gravy and cheese curds. My version kicks it up a notch!

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Shhh! I snuck a few veggies in these fab meatballs...

Seared Tuna Nachos with Roasted Garlic Cream + Charcuterie Board Ideas!

Whether you prepare your own fan-favorite appys or arrange store-bought (and there are tons of them) items on your board, the secret is to be surprising. Mix and match your favorites and be creative with your choices. After all, you never want to be bored with your board!!

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Shhh! I snuck a few veggies in these fab meatballs...

Game Day Dip

There’s just something about this that is super spicy but not hurtful! I use deli chicken as a shortcut, but you can use leftover chicken if you have it. Boar’s Head has a Blazing Buffalo chicken that just adds a little bit of somethin’ somethin’ to the dip, and Fritos corn chips bring the whole experience to critical addiction levels!

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Snack Attack!

Bacon Bows

This should be a year-round snack starter! Bacon bows involve melting pimento cheese wrapped in bacon for an irresistable snack.

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Brownie Bars for Kiddos and Grandparents

Nana’s Caramel Toffee Cookie Dough Brownie Bars

Cooking an ooey gooey cookie dough bar for game day always makes the house smell delicious and provides an awesome activity when the grandkids come over!

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Chicken Dinner Ideas, Three Ways!

Chicken Dinner Ideas, Three Ways!

by | Sep 4, 2022 | Canvas & Cuisine, Chicken, Dessert, Poultry, Recipes, Sunday Best Dishes

Who says chicken has to be boring?

Chicken is a great go-to protein for home cooks, but the same ol’ routine can get a bit stale.

We’re all looking for new and easy recipes to add to our rotation, and I have not one but THREE for you to try!

Join me in the kitchen as I transform chicken into three fantastic recipes that you can easily recreate! 

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Chicken Pepperoni

Chicken Francaise

Chicken Milanese

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Join Jorj for Meal Inspiration & Home Foodie Conversation!

The Art of The Fresh Market

Grab the book that contains my favorite travel adventures, with inspired original artwork by artist Susan Fazio.

Canvas & Cuisine

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New Year, Old Friends and the Birth of This Book

Southern Supper Book Club: “Big Lies in a Small Town”

Southern Supper Book Club: “Big Lies in a Small Town”

by | Aug 9, 2022 | Baking, Books, Cake, Canvas & Cuisine, Chicken, Dinner, Fruit, Recipes, Scrumptious Possibilities, Side Dish, Summer, Sunday Best Dishes, Super Supper Book Club, Uncategorized

It’s National Book Lover’s Day and my book club party planner is here! Host a Southern-style book club supper with “Big Lies In A Small Town” by Diane Chamberlain and these recipes from my cookbooks.

This post contains affiliate links. If you use these links to buy something we may earn a commission. 

Can’t wait? Click to skip down to the menu! ↓

I must admit, I was captivated by this book from the first sentence. After all the main character’s first name is Morgan.

Her surname is Christopher (name of my middle son) and her boyfriend’s name is Trey (name of oldest son). There’s a Jon in there somewhere, I’m sure!

The extra pull is that the novel is set in my adopted state of North Carolina jumping back and forth from the early forties and to the present. But it is the writing that really captures the reader. You feel like the characters are your peers. You find yourself dancing in a time warp while you are cheering for the heroine(s).

This is my next pick for our Super Supper Book Club. Gather your readers, give them the title and dole out the recipes for what will be a roller coaster discussion and meal.

Morgan Christopher’s life has been derailed. Taking the fall for a crime she did not commit; she finds herself serving a three-year stint in the North Carolina Women’s Correctional Center. Her dream of a career in art is put on hold―until a mysterious visitor makes her an offer that will see her released immediately. Her assignment: restore an old post office mural in a sleepy southern town. Morgan knows nothing about art restoration, but desperate to leave prison, she accepts. What she finds under the layers of grime is a painting that tells the story of madness, violence, and a conspiracy of small town secrets.

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I already cooked up some questions for your Super Supper Book Club gathering…

  • After a year, you get your hands on a cell phone for the first time. Who do you call? 
  • Was it brave or crazy for Jesse’s family to aid Anna?
  • Does Morgan ever come to accept that alcohol is a problem for her, or does she simply comply with her parole requirements?

My Southern inspiration for this Super Supper Book Club menu is Jesse’s family’s Sunday dinner. I take the liberty of substituting Anna’s least favorite vegetable (collard greens) with my delicious recipe for Swiss chard. I exchange corn on with cob for creamed corn. In place of stewed tomatoes liberated from the family’s root cellar, I substitute slow roasted cherry tomatoes.

The author didn’t mention a dessert, but I bet the farm, there was strawberry shortcake somewhere, sometime on Sundays. My swaps are allowed, because all these recipes are rooted in my love of the South. Lest there be controversary during the discussion, keep those paintbrushes close to allow everyone to express themselves.

This post contains affiliate links. If you use these links to buy something we may earn a commission. 

Super Supper Book Club Menu: “Big Lies in a Small Town” by Diane Chamberlain

Jorj’s Greatest Hits Inspired by Little Italy + Bakery Recommendation

Fried Chicken Basket

Sunday Best Dishes, page 71

Creamy Smashed Parmesan Potatoes

Sunday Best Dishes, page 280

Braised Rainbow Chard

Canvas and Cuisine, page 124

Old-Fashioned Cream Corn

Fresh Traditions, page 208

Slow Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

Fresh Traditions, page 205

Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@helloimnik?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText">Hello I'm Nik</a> on Unsplash

Southern-Style Strawberry Shortcake

Canvas and Cuisine, page 331

Explore Jorj's Cookbooks

7 Cookbooks and Counting!
Read On

Recipes You’ll Love On National Cheese Day

Recipes You’ll Love On National Cheese Day

by | May 31, 2022 | Canvas & Cuisine, Chicken, Dinner, Soup/Stew, Sunday Best Dishes

When is National Cheese Day this year?

June 4th, 2022 is a day to celebrate in your kitchen with these easy, cheesy dishes!

What should I make for National Cheese Day?

I always find ways to let cheese creep into my recipes, slowly but surely.

Take a walk on the cheesy side with a few of my favorite dishes that answer the call of your Cheese Day cravings!

how to make easy grilled veggies for memorial day

Hearty, Cheesy Butternut Squash Soup

Soup happens! This easy, hearty soup is perfect for those impromptu dinners when you need something cozy and cheesy.

Happily, the base is easy to get started and the soup will accommodate your cheese on hand.

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how to make easy grilled veggies for memorial day

Chicken Ravioli

Too much chicken? Leftovers for what feels this for days? Make these on a day when your chicken overrunneth.

You can store your extra ravioli in a single layer in a resealable plastic bag in the freezer, making this a recipe remix with a cheesy twist that is as efficient as it is delicious! 

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Original Eggplant Parm

Eggplant Parm, The Old Fashioned Way

A cast-iron skillet. Thick slices of eggplant. A ladleful of marinara sauce and a double-topping of cheese. 

Take advantage of your favorite variety of eggplant using this simple frying technique to create a super Italian inspired dish and make eggplant parm magic tonight!

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how to make easy grilled veggies for memorial day

Cheese and Crackers Chicken

Cheese and crackers are my go-to food when the tummy rumbles and that fasting headache emerges. Just a little bite of cheese takes the edge off. This works…for a while.

What happens next is that cheese begins to sneak its way into my dish. I love cheese on my scrambled eggs. Cheese in my salad. Cheese and crackers for my snack. Then inspiration hits.

So why not cheese and crackers in my chicken dinner? 

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Want More Ideas?

Grillin’ and Chillin’ This Memorial Day Weekend

Grillin’ and Chillin’ This Memorial Day Weekend

by | May 26, 2022 | Dinner, Holiday, Lunch, Parties, Party, Seasonal, Side Dish, Sunday Best Dishes, Vegetarian

Strawberry Recipes for Desserts

Make and take this effortless side, or get it going while your main course is on the grill or stovetop! It’s all about grilling and chilling this Memorial Day Weekend.

Whether it’s burgers, brats, ribs, or steaks, the sides are just as important as the main course when you’re planning your Memorial Day bash.

There’s lots of planning and lots of dishes to prepare. Here’s a way for you to make things just a little bit easier on yourself this year. 

Start with grilled veggies!

Any veggie will work here. My favorites are thick asparagus spears, bell peppers, red onions, zucchini and yellow squash, eggplant and portobello mushrooms. 

For the asparagus, break off the tough ends and trim. For the mushrooms remove the cap and inner gills. Slice the eggplant and red onion into ½-inch circles. Cut the squash diagonally into ½-inch ovals.

As you slice your veggies lay them onto a baking sheet. You can use parchment paper to layer everything on top of each other. Brush both sides with vegetable oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Now you are ready to grill.

Use an open flame or your trusty grill pan to cook each slice turning once so that you have grill marks on both sides.

Make sure you do not over-cook. You want firm veggies, not mushy ones. Remember things keep on cooking after you remove them from the heat.

Transfer the veggies from the grill to the baking sheet. You can cook these the day before your barbecue. Cool to room temperature and cover with plastic wrap. Chill ‘til you are ready to serve. 

 

how to make easy grilled veggies for memorial day

Now, here is where we get creative!

1: Layer the veggies onto a platter. Drizzle with olive oil and red wine vinegar. Shave thin slices of Parmesan cheese over top and sprinkle with toasted pine nuts.

2: Stack the veggies, beginning with eggplant and layering from largest slices to smallest. Layer in a slice or two of mozzarella cheese and add a few leaves of fresh basil on the top. Drizzle with olive oil.

3: Layer the veggies onto a platter and add slices of tomato and watermelon. Use a round cookie cutter to cut out circles of the watermelon that are about the same size as the tomato slices. Add a sprinkling of blue cheese and drizzle with balsamic reduction.  

4: Chop the veggies into similar size pieces and stir into rice for grilled veggie pilaf.

5:  Slice the veggies into thin strips and pair them with your grilled beef or chicken for fajitas, enchiladas, or quesadillas.

The secret here is that you can grill the veggies in advance and with little effort assemble the dish while the main course is sitting on the grill. What a great plan!

Want more? Watch me prepare asparagus, three ways!