Classic Brownie Cookies as seen on George Hirsch Lifestyle

George Hirsch February 10, 2026

a Classic, cookies, and milk on George Hirsch Lifestyle

Chocolate treat, under 30 minutes - mixing and baking. But can you wait 24 hours? Probably not, but just save a few because these cookies actually taste even better a few days after baking. Eyes go wide open on the first bite. Try my recipe for yourself, and you'll agree. For best results, use a good-quality cocoa powder.

Classic Brownie Cookies

Makes 3 dozen large or 6 dozen small

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1 1/3 cups butter

1 cup sugar

2/3 cup brown sugar

1 Tablespoon vanilla

2 eggs

2 1/4 cups flour

2/3 cup cocoa

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2teaspoon salt

3 Tablespoons milk

1 1/2 cups pecans, chopped

1 cup mini chocolate chips, semi-sweet, or chopped chocolate

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar one minute, or until creamy.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating lightly after each.

Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Add to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating at low speed about 1 minute, or just until blended.

Stir in nuts and chocolate chips.

Drop dough with cookie scoop (heaping 2 Tablespoons) on parchment paper-lined baking sheet.

Bake at 350°F for 10 to 12 minutes. Cookies will still appear soft and moist when baked, but firm up on cooling.

Cool slightly, then remove to a cooling rack. About 3 dozen cookies.

Tip: Smaller cookies can be made using 1 Tablespoon of dough for each cookie, baking for 8 to 10 minutes.

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Vine Ripen Pizza

George Hirsch February 3, 2026

When it comes to making any type of pizza, let imagination and the season rule your toppings. I love this Caprese-style pizza in the summer with an abundance of vine-ripe tomatoes. And if you are up to expanding your hand-tossed style, take the dough to the grill for an added fire-roasted flavor.

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Caprese Flatbread Pizza

Makes four servings |

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the art of making pizza dough, easy as 1, 2, 3

Mix the Dough and place it in a bowl lightly oiled with olive oil. Cover loosely with a towel or plastic wrap. Place in refrigerator overnight.

The next day, preheat *oven to 475 degrees F.

Stretch out the dough to a rectangular shape and cut it into two pieces. Sprinkle a teaspoon of fine-grind cornmeal on the surface of a heavy-gauge pizza pan or sheet pan. Place the two pieces of dough on top of the cornmeal. Brush the top lightly with olive oil.

Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the pizza flatbread crust is fully baked. You can check for doneness by tapping on the edge of the dough with your finger. It should be hollow.

Remove from oven, place two pizza flatbreads on a rack, and allow to cool.

When cool, top with sliced vine oak leaf lettuce, ripened tomatoes, fresh basil, and pesto; sprinkle a small amount of sea salt, fresh ground pepper, and olive oil.

*NOTE: If grilling, pre-heat the grill to high heat. After stretching and right before placing the dough on the grill surface, brush heavily with olive oil.

George's Pizza Dough

Makes enough for 2-3 pizzas

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1 teaspoon active dry yeast

1/4 cup warm water (between 105 and 115 degrees F)

1 teaspoon sugar

3 1/2 cups bread flour

1/4teaspoon salt

3/4 cup warm water

1 Tablespoon olive oil

In a small bowl, combine the yeast and water. Add the sugar and stir well. Set aside for 10 minutes or until tiny bubbles appear on the surface.

Place 3 cups of the flour in a mixing bowl. Make a well in the center and pour the yeast mixture and the water. Stir with a wooden spoon until the dough comes together. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes, using the additional 1/2 cup flour if the dough is sticky.

The dough is sufficiently kneaded when you can stick two fingers into it, and it springs back without leaving an indentation.

Cut the dough into four pieces and roll each piece into a ball. Let the dough rest in an oiled bowl for 45-60 minutes. Lightly oil the top of each ball with 1 Tablespoon of olive oil, cover with plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator for 3 hours.

- Mixing with a mixer & dough hook: Mix for eight minutes at medium speed

- Mixing with a food processor: process for 40 seconds until smooth; add one additional Tablespoon of flour until all of the flour is combined into the dough.

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Oven Fried Garlic Chicken, as seen on George Hirsch Lifestyle

George Hirsch January 29, 2026

Many of you have requested this recipe from George Hirsch Lifestyle TV series. I am delighted to share.

Who doesn’t like fried chicken? However, frying chicken in the traditional manner can cause health concerns and take a long time to prepare correctly. The solution is my oven-fried garlic Chicken. It is as good as it looks. Perfect for making and taking to the tailgate or picnic, it tastes even better the next day! That's if you have any left.

Add a side of Mac and Cheese and wrap up with Double Chocolate Brownies for a perfect homestyle comfort menu.

George’s Oven-Fried Garlic Chicken

Makes 8-10 pieces

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1 whole chicken cut into 8 - 10 pieces or pre-cut from a butcher

Juice of 1/2 fresh lemon

2 cups flour, approximately

paper bag or food-safe plastic bag

For The Chicken Rub

1 teaspoon each: dried basil, oregano, thyme, sweet paprika

1/2 Tablespoon garlic powder

Pinch of fresh ground nutmeg

Pinch sea salt and ground black pepper to taste

Combine all seasonings for chicken.

Add seasoning rub to chicken, coating each piece, then squeeze lemon juice over the chicken. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Place half of the flour in a bag and add additional flour as needed.

Place two pieces of chicken in the bag of flour at a time, close tightly, and shake the bag, coating the chicken evenly. Remove flour-coated chicken with tongs and shake off any excess flour. Place flour-coated chicken in a low-sided heavy-gauge roasting pan. Repeat until all chicken has been coated with flour. Make sure the chicken is not crowded in a roasting pan. See Tips.

Place chicken in the oven at 425 degrees F. for the first 15 minutes or until chicken begins to color (you will smell the aroma), then lower the oven to 350 degrees F. for 30 - 35 minutes until golden brown or until done. Time depends on the size of the chicken pieces.

After removing from the oven, let the chicken rest for 5 minutes and serve.

Tips:

- For crispy chicken, use a heavy-gauge low-sided pan (to prevent the chicken from steaming).

- Do not overcrowd the chicken in the pan; allow air circulation.

- The oven-baked chicken fries in their own fat. Using just breasts (white meat) does not oven fry as well due to lower fat content; for best results, cook with a mixture of white and dark meat that has a higher fat content.

- Trust the cooking times. Avoid opening the oven door to peek at the chicken while cooking. It will still be there. The temperature drops each time you open the oven door, causing the chicken to steam.

- To keep chicken crisp after cooking, place chicken on a wire baking screen until cool.

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Winter Pesto

George Hirsch January 8, 2026

There is a chill outside, and I’m still six-plus months away from fresh basil from my garden. But I'm not waiting until then to make one of my favorite dishes made with pesto. Solution? My Winter version of pesto. A robustly flavored pesto made with arugula + spinach mix. The peppery flavor makes a nice and welcoming flavor, and a bold way to serve an ingredient commonly available year-round.

Winter Pesto

Makes one cup

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1 cup packed arugula, washed and dried

1 cup fresh spinach, washed and dried

4 cloves fresh garlic, peeled

2 Tablespoons pine nuts, chopped

1 ice cube

3 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

6 Tablespoons olive oil, See Instructions Below

Place garlic and pine nuts in a food processor or blender. Pulse gently. Add an ice cube, arugula, and spinach, and slightly pulse. Do not over-grind for too long, or you will be cooking the tender leaves. Add the olive oil and cheese and process until it makes a paste. Refrigerate until ready to use. Keeps for about a week in the refrigerator.

Use for more than pasta. Pesto is an excellent addition to salad dressing, poultry, seafood, and vegetables.

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**Click to Listen to George Hirsch Lifestyle Radio on your Favorite Podcast Platform** **Holiday Special**

The Feast of Seven Fishes

George Hirsch December 14, 2025

The Feast of Seven Fishes

The Feast of the Seven Fishes is a popular Southern Italian tradition celebrated worldwide. In Italy, it is called “la Cena Della vigilia,” or Christmas Eve Dinner, December 24th, observed by abstaining from eating meat on Christmas Eve and enjoying the holiday meal with family, filled with a seafood spread.

WHY SEVEN? Some say the number seven represents the seven sacraments, seven days of creation, or simply the fact that seven signifies perfection in the Bible. This may be speculation; however, what is known is that this celebration is much appreciated and shared by most Italians and fish lovers.

Fish: You will find virtually any Mediterranean fish prepared from this region—everything from anchovies to eel. Popular fish in the feast include calamari, smelts, clams, and shrimp.

One of my favorites is baccalá, a dried, salted cod.

Baccala How To: To reconstitute the baccalá, you soak it for two days, changing the water three or four times.

I prepare the baccalá in several ways, including sauteed and with tomatoes. Still, it's also quite popular to prepare it in the oven with potatoes or even in a salad with potatoes and black olives.

The Seven Fishes is a feast that brings family and friends together to celebrate a significant evening. The seafood is only the centerpiece of what really takes place, keeping a tradition alive with family and friends. Isn’t that what holidays are really about? Buone Feste!