Deviled Eggs

georgehirsch February 8, 2025

They have a long history, dating back to ancient Rome, and were called Ovis Apalis. These dressed eggs or stuffed eggs were seasoned eggs flavored with spicy sauces and served as a meal starter.
Hard-cooked eggs were so popular with the Romans that they would say “ab ova usque ad mala,” meaning “Eggs to Apples,” from the beginning of the meal to finish with the apples at the end.

The name deviled implies hot but need not be. It is simply hard-boiled eggs chilled and halved with the yolk whipped into a flavorful filling of various flavors such as mayonnaise, sour cream, yogurt, Dijon mustard, etc.

Spice it up with cayenne, hot sauce, or wasabi. Add fresh herbs like dill, cilantro, or chives; it's a nice touch.

Make special occasion up-end garnishes such as chopped prosciutto, crisp chopped pancetta, or with a sliver of smoked salmon, sour cream, and caviar. The name deviled implies hot but need not be.

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Chicken Chipotle Tostada

George Hirsch February 7, 2025

Much like an open-faced sandwich or pizza, tostadas usually have a base of corn, sometimes flour tortillas that are toasted, usually by frying in oil, but can also be toasted on a grill or griddle, resulting in easier preparation and a much healthier version without sacrificing taste. What makes for great-tasting tostadas is the toppings with a variety of flavorful condiments such as beans, cheese, crema fresca (somewhat like crème fraîche), sour cream, chopped cabbage, or lettuce, sweet onions, jalapeños, guacamole, and salsa.

CHICKEN CHIPOTLE TOSTADA
From George Hirsch Living it UP!
chefgeorgehirsch.com | George Hirsch Lifestyle

Makes 4
4 6-inch Flour tortillas or very fresh corn tortillas
2 Tablespoons olive oil for tortillas
2 Chicken breasts, marinated, grilled, and thinly sliced
1/4 cup monetary jack cheese, shredded

Optional toppings: Pureed pinto beans, chopped sweet onions, finely shredded cabbage or lettuce, sliced jalapeños, guacamole, tomatillo sauce, salsa, crema fresca or crème fraîche, or sour cream.

For The Chicken Marinade:
Juice of two limes
1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 oz Tequila
2 Tablespoons cilantro
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 Tablespoon chipotle hot sauce
1 teaspoon cumin

Combine all marinade ingredients in a medium bowl and mix well. Pour over chicken, cover, and refrigerate for two hours.

Preheat the grill or griddle to medium-high.

Grill chicken 4-5 minutes each side or until done. Do not overcook. After grilling and cooling chicken breasts, slice them into small pieces.

For the Chipotle Sauce:
1/4 cup orange juice
2 Tablespoons barbeque sauce
1 Tablespoon chipotle hot sauce
1 Tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped

Mix all ingredients in a small pot, simmer for 3 minutes, and cool.

To Assemble Tostadas:

Lay tortillas flat and brush with olive oil, top with pureed pinto beans, sliced grilled chicken, cheese, chipotle sauce, and cilantro.

Place the Tostada on the grill or griddle on medium/ low heat, or bake it in a preheated 375-degree F oven.

Bake for 2-3 minutes, remove when cheese melts and tortillas are light brown.

Serve with fresh cilantro, wedges of fresh limes, and your favorite toppings such as chopped sweet onions, finely shredded cabbage or lettuce, jalapeños, guacamole, tomatillo sauce, salsa, crema fresca, or sour cream.

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George’s Double Chocolate Brownies

George Hirsch February 4, 2025

Know Your Cookie:

A brownie is a sheet cookie, as its soft batter spreads across a sheet-like pan to bake. Other types of sheet cookies include blondies and rainbow cookies. After sheet cookies are baked, they can be cut into squares, rectangles, or any other shape when cool.

This is an often requested recipe from George Hirsch Lifestyle. It is ideal for every occasion. Enjoy it as is, or upgrade it by topping it with your favorite ice cream. The brownie derives its character from a deep, rich cocoa base for the chocolate flavor.

Did you know chocolate is a winter mood booster? Dark chocolate contains the amino acid tryptophan, a well-recognized serotonin producer. It’s also one of the best food sources of magnesium, an essential mineral that allows the body to relax.

A one-ounce serving of dark chocolate contains 64 mg of magnesium. That’s 16% of the recommended daily intake. Add to that an abundance of other essential minerals, antioxidants, flavanols, and prebiotic fiber—all of which make us feel better in more ways than one.

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Makes 12-18 Brownies

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 pound (2 sticks) of sweet butter, softened at room temperature

2 cups granulated sugar

4 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups chopped pecans or walnuts

1 1/2 cups semisweet chopped chocolate pieces; or chocolate, or butterscotch chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Grease and flour an 8 x 12 x 2-inch baking pan and line it with a parchment paper baking sheet.

In a small bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt well. Set aside.

Cream butter in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add granulated sugar and cream on high speed for 2 minutes, until light and fluffy.

On a low speed, add vanilla and eggs, one at a time, stopping the machine from scraping down the bowl well after each addition. On a low speed, add flour and cocoa powder to the butter mixture and mix just until flour is absorbed. Do not over-mix.

By hand, fold the pecans and chocolate in with a rubber spatula.

Optional: if using coconut, mix 3/4 of coconut with pecans and chocolate.

Using a spatula, spread the batter into a baking pan, making sure the batter is spread evenly and smooth.

Bake for 25-30 minutes. Caution to not overbake. Brownies are baked when pressed. The cake springs back when pressed lightly with your finger, or a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 2 hours, and cut the brownies into rectangle or square pieces.

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Punxsutawney Pancakes

George Hirsch February 1, 2025

It's that time of year once again. Doesn't it feel like Groundhog Day was just yesterday? Those of you who know me know it's my favorite holiday tradition of the year. I love the excitement of the anticipated sign of spring from the Seer of Seers, Punxsutawney Phil, on February 2nd each year. Who would believe the little weather-predicting rodent would be 75-90 percent accurate. How about that! I'd say that's more predictable than any certified meteorologist.

However, I really feel Groundhog Day took on an all-new meaning years back after watching Bill Murray in the movie Groundhog Day. Imagine eating all the pancakes and donuts you like and repeating them the next day and the next.

So, in honor of Punxsutawney Phil and Bill Murray, here's my Punxsutawney Pancakes Recipe. Hearing the alarm clock at 6 AM on Groundhog Day just isn't the same without a tall stack of pancakes and a carafe of good coffee to wake up to. Just be sure to serve with a good maple syrup. Or, try a slice of my Egg Custard Pie (recipe below) for another sweet celebration.

Wishing you a Happy Groundhog Day this upcoming weekend! May my Punxsutawney Pancakes become a tradition at your breakfast table as well.

George's Punxsutawney Pancakes

Makes eight pancakes

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1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon pure cane granulated sugar

* 1 1/4 cups buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 egg, beaten

3 Tablespoons butter, melted

* To make Buttermilk

1 scant cup whole milk

1 tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice

To make buttermilk:

Measure 1 scant cup of milk. Stir in 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar.

Let the mixture stand at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes. When it is ready, the milk will be slightly thickened and you will see small curdled bits. This substitute will not become as thick as regular buttermilk

Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl well with a whisk: the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. In a separate bowl, mix all wet ingredients: the buttermilk, vanilla, egg, and melted butter.

Add the wet to the dry and stir with a spatula until the dry ingredients have incorporated. There may still be a few lumps. Do not over-mix, or pancakes will become tough.

Preheat a nonstick pan or lightly grease a griddle over medium-high heat at 375 degrees F.

Tip: Test the temperature by dropping a drop of water on the surface of the pan. Water will dance across the surface when at the correct temperature. Test one pancake.

Pour one 1/4 cup scoop of batter onto the griddle for each pancake. Add any fresh fruit, such as bananas or blueberries, at this time. You will see bubbles form on the top side when brown on the bottom, flip, and brown on the second side.

Serve hot with syrup or your favorite topping.

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Gameday Chili

George Hirsch January 30, 2025

Entertaining a crowd during Gameday Season?

Then, it's time to fire up the cooktop and start chopping. Those flavors will come together deliciously by gameday. This recipe calls for one bottle of IPA beer, my favorite from my local microbrew. I always advise you to use only what you would drink!

This basic chili recipe combines several flavors of the Southwest.

Options: Turkey and pork can be substituted for beef and combined for ultimate flavor. To make it vegetarian, use eggplant, squash, and extra onion in place of the meat.

IPA Chili

Makes 6- 8 servings

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2 pounds sirloin or chuck - cut into 1/2 inch pieces or a ground beef combo

4 slices maple cured bacon, chopped

10 cloves garlic, chopped

1 cup sweet onion, chopped

4 scallions, chopped

2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped

1 fresh serrano chili pepper, chopped

1 Tablespoon each: cumin, oregano, basil and thyme

1 teaspoon cinnamon

12 ounces of a good microbrew IPA

2 cups canned plum tomatoes with juice, chopped

1 Tablespoon cider vinegar

1 16-ounce can of red beans, rinsed and drained

2 Tablespoons cilantro

Preheat a large soup pot over medium-high heat.

Add bacon and allow the bacon to get a light golden color. Add garlic, onion, olive oil, scallions, jalapenos, and serrano, and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add beef and cook until becomes lightly browned. Drain off any excess fat. Season with cumin, oregano, basil, hot pepper flakes, and cinnamon.

Add beer and reduce liquid for one minute; add tomatoes and vinegar.

Lower the temperature to a gentle simmer. Stir, cover pot, and cook for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. Add beans and cook for 30 minutes or until the meat is tender.