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Movie Night: Vertigo
💒 😳 🤦🏼♀️ 🥂🥩 💒 😳 🤦🏼♀️ 🥂🥩 It's Vertigo Night! In the movie, Madeleine/Judy loves to dine at Ernie's Restaurant in San Francisco. I'm proud to bring you an authentic steak recipe from the legendary establishment, from roughly the same time as the 1958 film. Published by Doris Muscatine in 1963, it's called Entrecote de Boeuf Lucius Beebe au Poivre (try saying that three times fast). It certainly might be what Judy is referring to when she says: "I'm going to have

Brian Theis
Nov 102 min read


My Favorite Mustard
I have six in my fridge but one tops them all! ✅ 🍯 ✅ 🍯 ✅ 🍯 ✅ 🍯 ✅ 🍯 ✅ 🍯 Of course I have a bottle of the great American classic. I have several recipes that call for nothing less than (next to Grey Poupon) perhaps the most recognized mustard there is. I love all things Schaller & Weber. I regularly shop there on my way to or from meetings on the upper east side of Manhattan. This horseradish mustard is mustard first, horseradish second, and includes sugar and spices just

Brian Theis
Nov 102 min read


Thanksgiving Budget Survival Guide
Presenting . . . my new "Thanksgiving Budget Survival Guide!" I am asked by money-managing and other recipe websites to assemble ideas like this around the Turkey Day time of year, so here we go . . . 🦃 🆘 💰 🦃 🆘 💰 🦃 🆘 💰 🦃 🆘 💰 🦃 🆘 💰 🦃 🆘 💰 Plan ahead. Prices on food and related supplies go up as you get closer to Turkey Day because demand increases, so stores can charge more. There may be an overload or breakdown in the supply chain which drives costs up. Plann

Brian Theis
Nov 103 min read


Karen Valentine's Marinated Chicken
🍷 🍃 🐓 🍷 🍃 🐓 🍷 🍃 🐓 I loved her back in the day, on "Love, American Style." Karen Valentine's Marinated Chicken Serves 6 2 cleaned broiler-fryer chickens, cut into serving pieces 1 cup dry sherry 1/4 cup salad oil 2 tbsps. parsley flakes 2 1/2 tsps. salt 2 tsps. paprika 1 1/2 tsps. thyme leaves 1 1/2 tsps. basil leaves 1 tsp. tarragon leaves 1/2 tsp. curry powder 1/2 tsp. garlic powder 1/8 tsp. ground black pepper Place chicken in a tight-fitting container or plastic b

Brian Theis
Nov 101 min read


Brian's Tangy Beef 'n Mac
When you've got a bunch of hungry mouths to feed, it's just what's for dinner. 🥩🍝🧀 🥩🍝🧀 🥩🍝🧀 Brian's Tangy Beef 'n Mac Makes 4 to 6 servings 1 1/2 pounds ground beef 1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce 1 can (10 ounces) Ro-Tel tomatoes with green chiles, drained 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper 3 tablespoons white vinegar 1 tablespoon chili powder 1 teaspoon ground oregano 8 ounces elbow noodles 1 cup sour cream 3/4 cup thinly sliced scallions 8 ounces ver

Brian Theis
Nov 101 min read


Next Level Pizza Casserole
Mamma mia, this pizza casserole is next level! (Skip the anchovies if you're allergic ;-) ⬆️ 🍕 ⬆️ 🍕 ⬆️ 🍕 ⬆️ 🍕 Say hi to my next level pizza casserole demonstration model. ⬆️ 🍕 ⬆️ 🍕 Next Level Pizza Casserole Makes at least 6 servings 12 ounces fusilli or rotini pasta 2 tablespoons canola or olive oil 1 medium yellow or sweet onion, diced 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 teaspoon fennel seed 1 teaspoon celery seed 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes 8 ounces ground beef 8 ounces s

Brian Theis
Nov 102 min read


Banana Luncheon Bread, 1959
I'm going bananas! From Pillsbury's Best of the Bake-Off Collection , 1959. 🍌 🍞 🍌 🍞 🍌 🍞 Banana Luncheon Bread Junior Winner by Gracy Zeppenfeld, Ironwood, Michigan Delicious banana-nut bread can be served plain, or with butter or cream cheese. Stays fresh for days. BAKE at 350° for 60 to 70 minutes MAKES 9 x 5-inch loaf Sift together . . . 2 cups sifted Pillsbury's Best All Purpose Flour* 1 teaspoon double-acting baking powder 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon soda. Set a

Brian Theis
Oct 271 min read


Holy Pumpkin Mole Enmoladas
What the heck is an enmolada!? Well, that would be an enchilada with mole sauce. This is one recipe that has multiple glorious bouquets that scent the house with delicious complexities for hours afterwards. I have never cooked both the pork and the mole at the same time because I'm afraid the combined aromas might make me collapse under an avalanche of YUM! 🎃 🌶️ 🐷 🌮 🥑 🍚 🫘 🌿 This recipe is a website exclusive. You might see it in an upcoming cookbook. Meanwhile, there

Brian Theis
Oct 273 min read


BBQ-Chicken-Pizza Nachos
"Nacho" usual nachos! With the classic ingredients and flavor profile of a 1980's BBQ chicken pizza, these nachos are surprisingly "light" and oh, so good. The BBQ sauce and smoky Gouda are what put this recipe over the top. The chicken takes a bit of time but is gloriously worth it. Pro-tip (alternate approach) : skip the rest of the nacho ingredients and serve the thighs whole, as a main course. Absolutely delicious! 🍅 🍗 🍕 🧀 🌿 This recipe is a website exclusive. You m

Brian Theis
Oct 272 min read


Movie Night: American Graffiti
Where were you, in '62? Join the gang over at Mel's for some classic drive-in chow! Set in: 1962. Movie release: 1973. Presenting, for the very first time, Cheeseburger alla Americana, Malt o' Chocolato, and last, but not least, the "I'm Going Bananas" Split ! 🍔 🍌 🍔 🍌 🍔 Classic American cheeseburger? Yes please! 🍔 🍔 🍔 Cheeseburger alla Americana 🍔 Makes 2 burgers 1/2 pound ground beef Salt and ground black pepper Canola oil 2 hamburger buns (extra credit: with sesam

Brian Theis
Oct 272 min read


Better Homes Everyday Meat Loaf, 1953
Meet your next loaf! 🥩 🍞 🥩 🍞 🥩 🍞 Everyday Meat Loaf (or loaves), from Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book , 1953. What this meatloaf might have looked like in 1953: Everyday Meat Loaf 🥩 🍞 🥩 🍞 🥩 🍞 ⅔ cup dry bread crumbs 1 cup milk 1½ pounds ground beef 2 beaten eggs ¼ cup grated onion 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon sage Dash pepper OVEN 350° Soak bread crumbs in milk; add meat, eggs, onion, and seasonings; mix well. Form in individual loaves; place in greased muffin

Brian Theis
Oct 121 min read


Brian's Kickback Fondue Blowout
Have I mentioned? I'm so fondue you. Let's get cheesy! Here's my recipe for a par-TAY style fondue feast I love to serve my guests at the beach. Let's get that pot a' meltin! 🥗 🍞 🥦 🥩 🐓🍅 🧀 This recipe is a website exclusive. You might see it in an upcoming cookbook. Meanwhile, there are dozens of other party-inspiring, vintage-style recipes to choose from in my first best-selling cookbook . Order your copy today . Brian's Kickback Fondue Blowout Makes 4 to 6 Servings C

Brian Theis
Oct 122 min read


13-Ingredient Halloween Gumbo
Q: What makes it a Halloween gumbo?!? A: The 13-ingredients of course! A very dark Halloween-hued roux, the addition of mushrooms (sacriligeous!) and ground cloves make it unique and a special holiday taste sensation. 🧅 🫑 🎃 🧅 🫑 🎃 🧅 🫑 🎃 This recipe is a website exclusive. You might see it in an upcoming cookbook. Meanwhile, there are dozens of other tempting Creole dishes and a whole Halloween chapter full of autumn-appropriate recipes to choose from in my first best

Brian Theis
Oct 122 min read


Blueberry Sourdough Bread à la Taylor Swift
It's a loaf story . . . Look what you made me dough! Taylor Swift is everywhere these days, and we know she's an avid bread baker. I did some searching and she hasn't shared any of her own recipes with the world, but Lisa Milbrand of Real Simple has some pretty good ideas of what Tay's recipes are like. Below is a blueberry lemon sourdough from Lisa Bass , to fill in Tay's sourdough bread recipe Blank Space. Let me know what you think! 🫐 🍋 🍞 🫐 🍋 🍞 Easy Sourdough Bluebe

Brian Theis
Oct 123 min read


Movie Night: Steel Magnolias
Drink your juice, Shelby—it's movie night! (The line is actually "Drink the juice, honey." but who am I to judge.) If you've just been in a very bad mood for forty years, this wildly popular 1989 dramedy is just the thing to get you laughing (and, spoiler alert: crying) again. Here are two Shelby-inspired adult beverages to kick things off, then a Low Country Boil worthy of Truvy and Annelle, and of course a Cuppa Cuppa Cuppa cake for dessert. There's even a bonus red velvet

Brian Theis
Oct 122 min read


"Punkin" Spice Cupcake Minis
Complex layers of fall flavor, but simple to bake! Best made with seasonally colorful mini baking cups. 🧁 🎃 🧁 🎃 🧁 🎃 This recipe is...

Brian Theis
Oct 12 min read


Scrub Mommy!
On a recent trip to appear on DC television in Bethesda, MD, I stayed at the Residence Inn. It was on that trip that I became enamored of...

Brian Theis
Oct 11 min read


Movie Night: The Graduate
Well here's to you, Mrs. Robinson . . . Here's the first Movie Night "Classic Film and Recipes Pairing" for my Premium Subscribers. We...

Brian Theis
Sep 302 min read
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